Brothers
by rockhotch31
Summary: This is a CM fanfiction, with my established OMC Matt Taylor. Note the name and he does have a big brother, hence the crossover and a few CSI:NY characters are involved. And while the whole CM gang will be here, this story is basically about the two brothers and their families spending some time together.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Notes: Yes, I know I labeled this a crossover, but don't worry my fine CM fic fanatics. In my first story introducing my OMC Matt Taylor, I established that Mac from CSI:NY is his older brother. While this story will get into their relationship, it will also involve the CM team. It's just that a few characters from CSI:NY might show up. You know how much I like **_**Family**_** stories. ;)**

**I really didn't know how to get this story rolling until I came up with an inspiration. So for those of you that are not CSI:NY fans, a quick synopsis. Reed Garrett is Mac Taylor's stepson, and a Journalism graduate. He writes a news blog. Chapter 1 will be setting up the story. Trust me; the CM characters will be here.**

**For you CSI:NY folks joining the party, I would suggest reading the first chapter of my fanfic **_**Monster in the Fortress**_**. It should give you a pretty strong sense of the background to my OMC and this story; especially if you watch CM.**

**As always, this story is completely written, and FF willing, a chapter a day will be posted.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything related to Criminal Minds or CSI:NY.**

**Dedication: To my CM followers, you know who. To those joining from the CSI:NY world, it is my FF mentor. She always gets the first one and the big shout out at the end. *hugs***

***points to avi* Compliments of my Dutch Delight. Thanks HGRHfan35! (Pssst – I uploaded it all by myself!)**

**Rating is T for the usual. To you newcomers: my potty mouth.**

Chapter 1

Reed Garrett on Sunday morning, July 1st, delivered to his blog followers the final chapter of his exposé of the corruption in the NYC towing companies. As he posted the last words, he smiled, proud of his work. He had scooped the all the big NYC papers. Then he added a post.

_To all of my followers; I'm taking some time off. I think I deserve it. But more importantly, I'm getting to finally meet some family. A little personal info: my birth mother let me be adopted by a loving family because she was too young to raise a son alone. I can't thank her enough for bringing me into the world, and giving me the opportunity I received from my parents. However, as much as wanted to meet her and get to know her, I can't. My birth mother, Claire Conrad Taylor died in Tower 2 on 9/11. But I need to know the family that loved her. Her husband has offered me the chance to be a part of that family for a week. I know my mom loved him, and them greatly. I'm taking that. See you all in a week._

As the train left Grand Central Station Monday morning and moved into New Jersey, Reed pulled his iPod buds from his ears and looked at Mac, sitting across from him. "You sure your brother and his wife are OK with me coming?"

Mac and Stella both smiled. Mac gently said, "I'm sure Reed."

"Welcome to an Irish family Reed," Stella added.

"Mac, I have to ask. I Googled Matt. I mean holy shit. A Medal of Honor recipient and the Assistant Unit Chief of the BAU? That's huge in my world."

"Reed, you're coming with us to relax for a week and get away, which you told me you wanted," Mac smiled.

"But I didn't know the bonus," Reed countered.

"Well, Matt is on vacation this week too, so just don't push things, please. He needs his down time too. Especially with the job he and the team do."

Mac and Stella saw his body language. They smiled at each other. Stella winked at Reed. "You'll get your chance Reed."

Three hours later they pulled into Metro Station in Washington DC. As they grabbed their luggage, Reed, noticing that Mac and Stella had only one bag between them, made their way past the security checkpoint, and proceeded out of the station.

Mac was the first to notice Matt, patiently waiting for them with Colin on his shoulders. Reed immediately noticed the height and build difference between the brothers. "Uncle Mac; Aunt Stella!" Colin shouted. Reed looked to see who was smiling broader among the four of them. As the three of them neared, Matt, wearing a T-shirt, cargo shorts and sandals, pulled Colin off his shoulders. He ran to his uncle, who scooped him off the ground with one arm while he pulled him and Stella's bag closer to Matt.

"Hey big guy!" Mac said, getting a huge hug from Colin. As Colin pulled away, Mac looked at him. "So you're four now!"

"Yup, Uncle Mac I am," Colin beamed. "And I get to go to school in the fall!" Mac pulled his youngest nephew into another large hug.

"I love you Col. Missed you."

"Missed you too Uncle Mac," Colin beamed. "Love you too."

While that was transpiring, Matt pulled Stella into a deep embrace. "Hey Greek goddess," he said giving her a kiss on the cheek. He whispered in her ear. "Love you too."

Stella pulled out of the huge embrace and rubbed Matt's chin. "Sorta love you too little brother." Mac handed Colin to Stella. Reed stood next to them, a bit dumbfounded.

"Hi Aunt Stella!" Colin shouted, gathering the attention of the travelers passing by. Reed looked around at the sight and smiled, as Stella took Colin from Mac and gave him a huge hug, which Colin replicated. Matt and Mac shook hands and shared a large man hug.

"Good to see you big brother," Matt said pulling out of the embrace.

"You too kid," Mac smiled. "Matt," Mac said, looking at Reed. "This is my son Reed Garrett. Reed, this is my brother, Matt."

Matt stuck out his hand, which Reed firmly grabbed. "Pleasure to meet you Reed; I've been looking forward to this. Mac has told me a lot about you. He's very proud of you." Reed smiled. "And I follow your blog daily. It's great stuff Reed. Your mom would be so proud of you." Stella rubbed Reed's shoulder's, still holding Colin.

"You knew my mother, obviously," Reed beamed.

Matt smiled. "I was best man at their wedding."

"Half drunk," Mac mumbled.

Matt looked at Mac. "Who's the Irishman that baled from the party?"

"I was getting married the next day," Mac countered.

Matt smiled. "My point exactly." Matt looked at Reed, who was soaking up all the information he could get on his mother. "Reed, an old Irish joke. What's the difference between an Irish wedding and an Irish wake?" Reed shrugged his shoulders. "One less drunk," Matt and Mac said together.

The adults all laughed, as Mac took Colin from Stella and put him on his shoulders. Mac introduced Reed to Colin.

"Hi Reed!" Colin said. "Mom and dad said you were coming along." Reed, smiling broadly, shared a fist bump with Colin.

"It's great to meet you Colin."

Matt grabbed the bag Mac was pulling. "If you got him, I'll take this." They made their way out of the station to Matt's pick-up truck. As they loaded the luggage in the back and got in, the three New Yorkers commented on the heat and humidity.

"Welcome to DC in July," Matt said. They made their way to the house.

Reed commented on the Washington landmarks he was able to see as they moved out of the DC beltway. "I've never been here before. My folks always took me to Europe or Asia for vacation."

Matt looked at Reed in his rear view mirror. "We've got the rest of the week. I think we can take care of that," he smiled. Colin, sitting in his booster seat, securely buckled in, did his usual. In a moving vehicle, he conked out for a power nap. Stella, sitting next to him, smiled, rubbing his hand that he held out to her before he met the Sandman.

They pulled down the road to the home to see Cam and Casee riding their bikes on the street holding only the Taylor house. They both gave big waves as Matt moved gently past them. The twins followed them into the driveway. Wilma, the family Golden Lab, was standing in the driveway, watching her charges. She excitedly barked a greeting at the truck approaching.

Matt pulled the truck into the garage. As the group got out, Mac and Stella were "attacked" by the two older kids, who had jumped off their bikes and dropped their bike helmets as they ran to them. Reed heard another chorus of "Uncle Mac" and "Aunt Stella" as the group exchanged hugs. Matt gently pulled the sleepy Colin out of the truck.

Reed watched and whispered to Matt, "Is there something I've been missing?"

Matt smiled at him. "Not really Reed." He nodded at his brother and Stella. "When they're here, they can be themselves and not hide from very dumb NYPD rules. They just need their asses kicked to make it official and stand up to those dumb rules."

Reed beamed. "So he's happy?"

"Reed, name me one time you've seen your dad, my brother, in jeans and a polo shirt," Matt smiled. "And btw, he might even have a pair of shorts in that luggage."

"He damn well better; Stella bought him two pair for his birthday. And if he didn't, I cutting off a pair of those jeans," Abbey said, joining her husband.

Matt gave her a kiss. "Hey babe; Reed, this is my wife Abbey. Abbey, this is my nephew, Reed Garrett."

Before Reed could stick out his hand, Abbey pulled him into a hug. "Welcome Reed. We've all been really looking forward to meeting you."

At that time, Mac and Stella brought the twins around the truck to meet Reed. Casee was holding both of Mac's hands as she stood in front of him. Cam had his arm wrapped around Stella. "Kids, this is my son, Reed. Reed, this is our niece Casee, officially known as Catherine Elizabeth….."

"But that's a mouthful," Casee added, smiling at Reed.

"You heard that from your dad, didn't you Case?" Mac said.

Casee leaned her head back into Mac's stomach to look him in the eye and just smiled. Mac rubbed her chin. He looked at the boy that Stella stood with. "And this is our oldest nephew Cameron."

"I'm just Cam," he smiled, as Stella rubbed the top of his head.

"And btw Reed, recent kindergarten graduates."

Reed smiled at the two kids, but more importantly, how much they meant to Mac and Stella. He and Cam shared a high five as Casee, like her mom, gave Reed a hug, albeit around his legs. Wilma barked sharply at Mac. "Oh, forgive me," Mac smiled, as Matt, Abbey and Stella laughed. "This is Wilma." Wilma promptly set down on her back feet in front of Reed and offered her right front paw.

Reed, laughing, shook it. "Nice to meet you too, Wilma." She answered with a happy bark and large wag of her tail, rising up to all four paws and nudging Casee with her nose, the "girl" sisterhood firmly in place.

"Let's get you inside and settled," Matt said.

As they entered the foyer, Matt looked at Reed. "You have two options Reed, and solely your choice. Your dad and Stella share the bedroom downstairs, off the home theater. There's also a bathroom down there, with a shower. But you'd be bunking on the couch. Option two, is in my study, where there is a couch, with a pullout bed. And it's pretty comfortable; I can tell you from experience."

"But it has no pot," Colin piped up.

Matt looked at his youngest son in his arms and gave him the Marine glare. "Thank you son," Matt said a bit sarcastically. Colin just shrugged his shoulders, smiling broadly at his dad, fully awake from his nap. The other two kids, along with Stella, giggled.

"That's the downside Reed. You'll have to use the bathroom off the kitchen and use whatever shower is available, which btw, shouldn't be a problem. You'll just have to be flexible," Matt explained. "But it will give you more privacy."

"I lived in a college dorm for four years. I know flexible." He sneaked a peak at Matt. "You don't mind?" Reed said. Matt shook his head, smiling.

Mac looked at Abbey. "His experience?" Mac nodded at Matt.

Abbey laughed. "Once a year; the first Saturday in May. He gets together with a bunch of his Marine buddies. They go to Marine HQ, and watch the silent rifle drill team's new season. After that, it involves 18 holes of golf, too much beer drinking, with scotch later and cigar smoking. That combination doesn't get him in our bed for the night. I love him dearly. But I won't sleep with that smell."

Matt just smiled at his brother. "You're going to tell me Claire never made you sleep on the couch?"

"Nope."

"Bull."

Mac smiled, even though he was getting called out by his younger brother. "There may have been a time or two."

Matt laughed. "I know NYPD cops and I know Claire. She was a lot like Abbey. Never chewed your butt, but drew a big line in the sand." Mac just smiled. Reed smiled broadly at hearing more about his mom and her relationship with Mac.

As the kids went back outside to ride their bikes, Colin included (although with training wheels and Stella making sure they all had their bike helmets back on), the adults spent the rest of the late morning getting everyone settled in and spending time together. Matt regaled Reed with stories about his mom and Mac dating, many to Mac's embarrassment, as Abbey and Stella prepared lunch.

###

**A/N: To any newcomers: this Yank is very grateful for my international readers. However, I know some things I say in my stories you may not understand. I've since made it a habit to try to explain those things at the end of the chapters in this forum. If you already know what I'm talking about, you have my deepest apologies. But here I go. The first being, as always, any temps mentioned are in Fahrenheit scale; so are US measurements. In addition, the Marine silent rifle drill team is something you have to see. Here in the States, they are featured in TV ads recruiting for the Marines. And they are just absolutely awesome. Do a YouTube search.**

**A/N2: Case is not a typo. That's Matt's nickname for Casee, which, of course, he would have. ;)**


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Matt looked around at the lunch Abbey and Stella were preparing, leaning against the kitchen island where Mac and Reed had taken seats. He was about to ask about their prep work, when he heard the garage door open. Wilma blew into the kitchen, barking excitedly. Matt looked at his wife. "Abbey?" he simply questioned.

Abbey smiled at her husband. "Aaron called; he and Jack want to spend time in the pool. I told them to come down for lunch." They both heard the rumblings of young feet and smiled at each other.

Matt pulled her into a hug, which Stella noticed and smiled at Mac. "Thanks babe."

Abbey matched her husband's hug. "I made a promise, remember; that night."

Matt pulled back, looked his wife in the eye, and simply nodded his head. "And I love you more for keeping it." Stella smiled at the two of them.

Abbey pulled out of the hug. "We mothers stick together," she said, rubbing her husband's chin.

Reed looked at Mac. "Later," Mac whispered.

The three boys blew into the kitchen, being the great friends that they were. Jack shared a huge hug with Abbey and Matt lifted him into his arms. Hotch walked in wearing the same ensemble as Matt, carrying Casee. After the introductions, they all settled around the table to have lunch. Colin, being his turn, led the group in prayer for the lunch.

The kids, laughing and giggling, put together their sandwiches with the turkey, ham and cheeses, along with the bread that Abbey and Stella had prepared. Colin looked at Hotch. "Uncle Aaron, I need some mayo on my samwich." He looked at his plate. "And more chips." Hotch smiled as he knifed on the spread and added the chips as Mac and Stella beamed at the kids. Stella was helping Casee. Abbey rubbed Reed's back. "Welcome to being part of a big family," she smiled.

Reed looked at her with a question in his eyes. Abbey just smiled.

Stella looked at Jack and Cam. "You guys OK?" Her answer was them diving into their sandwiches, chips, pickles and fruit. The adults made their own sandwiches as well. Colin and Jack both snuck a chip to Wilma. Matt scowled at them. Jack just gave Matt the Hotchner smile, now sporty four new permanent teeth.

When the kids finished, Matt turned the TV on so they could watch some cartoons while their lunches settled before hitting the pool. The adults sat around the table.

Hotch looked at Abbey as he polished off his sandwich, reaching for more chips. "Have you heard from Raquel?"

Abbey smiled. "She made it safely home Saturday night and is enjoying time with her family."

Reed looked at Mac. Matt jumped in. "Raquel is our housekeeper and nanny. She's a native of Honduras, but is now a proud US citizen. When Abbey and I take this week off, we pay for her airfare home. We do the same through the Christmas holidays. It's her bonus that she deserves. And trust me, all legal and taken care of tax wise. We have Dave Rossi's accountant."

Reed gulped his sip of ice tea. "That's right; you all work with David Rossi. I've read his books; especially after my encounter with one of your….what's the term….unsubs?" Reed subconsciously put his finger to his neck, touching the scar he had received the "Cabbie Killer".

Matt clamped his hand on Reed's shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze. "Reed, you survived. Be grateful for that and enjoy every day. Against something like that, we usually don't get a second chance."

Hotch looked at Reed. "Amen." Reed looked at Matt and then Hotch. Quietly, Hotch added, "I've got my own scars from a serial killer. And he's the one that killed Jack's mom, with Jack in the house. Matt faced his own in a way too, but with the power and wealth of being a dictator, trying to take over a free country. We both lived to tell about it, yet with scars."

"Your dad does too. Extremists, who follow a serial killer," Matt added.

"But as one Mr. Rossi has said more than once," Hotch continued, "'scars remind us where we've been; they don't have to dictate where we're going'."

"Your mom Reed, in a way, faced her own as well," Matt added. "We profiled Bin Laden. He was one of the worst serial killers we've seen."

Hotch joined in. "But like Saddam Hussein, had the money, power and more importantly, the ability to coerce many minions to follow him. It was the ultimate ego rush for him. That plays into their psyche."

Reed looked at Matt and Hotch and whispered. "How do you do the job you do and keep sane?"

Matt and Hotch smiled at each other. They both nodded into the living room at four young kids. "That's why they do it Reed," Mac said.

"And Reed, how Matt and Abbey make their marriage work," Stella added.

Abbey smiled at Reed. "I have full buy in on what the team does. They bag them. As a federal prosecutor, I'm part of team that tags them and sends them to death row."

"However, Reed, this is what really keeps our shit together," Matt silently said. "We are a team, dealing with the worst possible out there. That's a bond we share, and we're damn close because of it. No one understands that more than all of us. We deal every day with the people that can separate you're head from your butt the quickest." Matt looked around. "Well, maybe some may have a bit more buy in and understand." He smiled at his wife, Mac and Stella. "Yet, Reed, when we get down time like this, we tend to share part of it together. That's the team, and family, we are."

"Will you two," Reed said looking at Matt and Hotch, "give me an interview for my blog?"

Matt shook his head. "No," he simply said. Reed looked at him. Matt smiled. "Reed, you're a gifted writer." He looked at Mac.

"Son, what you're uncle is trying to tell you is this: absorb this time and then run with it, given the ability you have. Which, btw, you are making a helluva living from; I follow your hit stats." Mac smiled. "I'm proud of you. And your mom would be too." The rest around the table smiled at Reed as well.

Reed looked at Matt and Mac. "I gotta ask; you two are built so different."

Mac smiled. "Matt is the proverbially Irish brick shit house. He's built exactly like our dad, grandpa and uncles."

"Dad?"

"When I was three, a strain of influenza ripped through the country. It attacked the lungs and liver. And this was long before the CDC. Our mom," nodding at Matt, "got it when she was pregnant with our sister. I caught it as well. I survived, but the liver part halted my growth at a critical age. I never caught up. By the time Matt came around, they had a vaccine for it."

"You two have a sister," Reed asked, looking at his dad and uncle.

"Yes," Mac said. "Her name was Catherine. She lived for two hours after she was born."

Matt looked at Reed. "Obviously, being the youngest, I don't remember her. But mom and dad always took us to the cemetery every year on her birthday. And when I was at the farm with grandma and grandpa, they always remembered her as well."

Hotch looked at his partner. "I never knew that Matt," he said. He added a smile, nodding at Casee, "The 'Catherine' now makes sense."

Matt smiled at his partner. "And the 'Elizabeth' is for Abbey's grandmother."

"And my favorite," Abbey smiled.

Matt looked at the table and then the rest. "We always remember."

"Yes, we do," Stella smiled, giving Mac's back a rub as he smiled.

###

**A/N: CDC is the US Center for Disease Control.**


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

As the kids frolicked in the pool, with the rest in swimsuits gathered around, Reed looked at Matt. "You mentioned something about a farm and your grandparents at lunch." Matt smiled. "Mind sharing?"

Hotch looked at Matt. "I sorta want to hear this too. Every time we're in the Midwest, you comment about farm fields. And you obviously know a lot."

"Since Mac is eight years older than me, mom and dad put him through college, with him joining ROTC at Northwestern to help pay the tab. But they still struggled to pay the bills. And for the record, Mac worked his butt off too." Mac smiled.

"But I was ten by then, and pretty much on my own. Mom and dad were both working two jobs to pay the bills and tuition. And like any kid that age, with too much unsupervised time on my hands, I fell in with the wrong crowd. Uncle Paddy, dad's brother, and the proverbial Chicago Irish cop," Hotch smiled, "pulled them aside and told them what was happening. Mom and dad felt bad but they had no choice. So they sent me to live on grandpa and grandma's dairy farm in Wisconsin, about three hours north of Chicago." Matt looked at Mac.

"It was heaven," Mac smiled, nodding at Matt. "We both spent our summers up there so our folks could work."

"It was my haven, and grandma straightened me out in a hurry," Matt said, as Abbey rubbed his shoulder, already knowing the story. Mac, knowing their grandmother, smiled broadly, as Stella enjoyed their memories. Matt looked at Reed. "Don't get me wrong Reed; I worked my butt off there. I was a simple farm kid. But in the school system there, I wasn't the only one. I found friends and a brotherhood that came from the same background. We worked hard; and played sports harder," Matt smiled. "We both loved it there. I stayed and graduated from high school, even though Mac had graduated from college and was off for the Marines. Mom and dad kept working so they could put me through college."

Looking at Hotch, he added, "And yes, I learned a lot about farms. Milking cows, collecting eggs twice a day in the chicken coop, baling hay and planting crops; corn and soy beans," Mac smiled. "Baling hay; now that was great fun," he said rolling his eyes at his brother, remembering the hard work that they put in back then. "But Da was great," Matt smiled, reflecting on the memory. "And when we had some down time, he took me into the woods on the farm and I learned even more. I know to this day, I can still track a deer."

"I always made sure I got up there for Thanksgiving," Mac added. He looked at Matt. "It was deer hunting time as well and dad wouldn't miss that," he smiled. "We got to spend that time together in the woods. Da, dad and we boys; mom and dad were working their butts off for me, but we had that time together. It was very special."

Matt beamed. "And damn how grandma and mom would cook for us," he said, looking at Mac, the fond memories rushing back.

"Oh jeez; Thanksgiving morning, we'd get up early and go hunting. Dinner was at four and it was a feast," Mac smiled.

Stella looked at the brothers. "So who brought home the trophy buck every year?" Reed moved into the pool with Colin, but kept up with the conversation.

"Stell," he said, thumbing at Matt. "He could smell a big buck a mile away and lay in wait for him all morning. Why do you think he joined Marine Recon?"

"But the best part," Matt smiled at Mac, "was the swimming hole."

Stella looked at Mac. "You never told me about that."

"Guess I never thought of it," he said, rubbing her shoulder. "It was on the southwest side of this big limestone sand hill that was on the property and had an aquifer underneath it; spring feed water. And since it got all that sunshine facing the west, it warmed the cold spring water. We swam in it every afternoon if it wasn't raining."

"But the best part," Matt continued, "there was this big oak tree on the west side of the swimming hole. It had no earthly business growing there expect its roots must have tapped into a vein of the aquifer. Anyway, it was huge." He looked at Mac. "I remember when dad and Da hooked up the tire swing to the big limb that hung over the pool."

The brothers looked at each, shaking their heads, as they smiled at the memories.

About that time, Matt heard a rattling in the garage. He and Hotch went on alert and looked to see Dave walking out with Mudgie. Dave was dressed in his usual shorts, white t-shirt and sandals, all Italian made. "What the hell you doing here," Matt asked. "You've got your own pool, and it's a helluva of lot bigger." Mudgie went to the side of the pool and happily barked at the kids.

"But it doesn't have them," Dave said, wagging his finger at the kids. "Besides, I bought the pork chops you're going to cook on the grill tonight for dinner," he slyly smiled, standing next to Stella. "Hey Greek goddess, how are you?"

Stella got up from her chair and gave him a hug. Dave and Mac shared warm handshakes. Reed looked around in amazement. "Dave, this is my son Reed Garrett. Reed, David Rossi." Reed standing in the pool, wet from playing with Colin, froze as Dave offered his hand.

"It doesn't bite Reed, and I duck hunt with my partner," he smiled, nodding at Mudgie. "I know wet hands." Reed warmly shook it.

Dave looked around. "What the hell? Two Irishmen and LEO and you're not drinking beer? I thought you all were on vacation?" Abbey glared at him as Stella rolled his eyes. Dave looked at Reed. "Maybe that's why I'm not married anymore."

Reed smiled as Hotch said, "Ya think big dog?"

"Judas, Dave it's only 1:30 in the afternoon. Us Irishmen usually don't start until three."

Dave winked at Reed. "'Cause they're still nursing a hangover."

"Rossi, sit down and shut up," Matt growled.

"Do I at least get an ice tea?" Rossi smiled, knowing what was coming next.

"Absolutely Dave," Abbey said, pointing to the sliding glass doors of the deck. "You go through them, and you know where the plastic glasses and ice tea are."

Dave smiled broadly, done playing with all of them. "Anyone else?" The all shook their heads as Dave made himself at home.

Reed looked at Matt. "I take this isn't unusual?"

"Reed, we told you at lunch. We're all pretty close. You're just getting to see it in action. And btw, if he buys the meat, I'll grill it," Matt smiled.

Hotch laughed to himself looking at Reed. "You should see Dave when we're all there, including the kids, at his 'mansion'," he emphasized, hearing Dave coming out the door. Matt and Abbey looked at each other and laughed.

Dave piped in as he walked to them. "It's a mansion, with a lot of stuff that doesn't go well with a bunch of kids."

"Have you thought about maybe changing that if you want them around?" Mac offered.

"Whose side are you on?" Dave said, looking at Mac.

"Theirs," he said, smiling at Rossi and pointing to Matt and Hotch.

"Bro," Matt said. "What was the saying that Da always said about being nervous?"

"I was more nervous than a chicken with a fox in the hen house." They both smiled at the memory, sharing a laugh.

Jack happened to swim by. "Uncle Matt, what does that mean?"

"Jack, foxes eat chickens. And if one gets in the hen house, where they all lay their eggs, it's not pretty."

As Jack swam away, happy with the explanation, Matt looked at Hotch, and whispered. "Now that's a damn serial killer on a spree." Hotch silently laughed.

As Dave sat down, Reed looked at Matt and Abbey. "So you told stories on mom and dad. How did you two meet?"

Matt looked at Abbey. "In a nutshell, my roomie for two years at the Academy, and my best friend, got married in Houston. He was the son of big society marrying a daughter of the same. I was his best man. Abbey was the maid of honor."

Abbey laughed. "And I chased his butt for six months before we finally went on a date. And btw Reed, I may have been born with the silver spoon in my mouth, but I was raised to work for everything you got." She nodded at Matt. "It took me that long to convince him. I just had to fly to San Diego to do the convincing."

"Babe, I bought in that first weekend. But, I was just playing hard to get," he said pulling down his sunglasses to look at Rossi over them. "Isn't that how the game is played?"

Rossi looked at him. "You? Have game?" Matt dropped his left hand below the lounge chair he was sitting in to give Dave a one finger salute, out of the sight of the kids. The rest just roared.

The kids soon swam up to where they all were sitting and pleaded for Matt and Aaron to get in so they could dive off the board at the deep end. Mac joined them in the pool as Abbey and Stella helped the kids do their dives. Jack, beginning to master the workings of the diving board, began to get some air in his jumps. Cam and Case quickly followed his lead. Colin, usually the daredevil, but leery of the diving board, finally made his first jump off it. Yet it was a cannonball that drenched Reed. The kids all laughed as he dove after them. They shared a great time, and, as usual, Casee was able to even get Uncle Dave in with them.

As the kids shared some down time watching a movie in the living room, the adults all sat around in the shade. Abbey rubbed Dave's shoulder. "You really did bring pork chops. So what else do you want for dinner?"

He looked at her. "I get to pick?" Mac noticed the legendary profiler nearly salivating. He winked at Stella.

Abbey just nodded at him. "I'm pretty flexible," she said, smiling at him.

"Baked potatoes, candied carrots, Chinese coleslaw and garlic bread; I'll give you some money if you need to run to get anything."

"Easy enough; but I do need to run and get a few things."

"My wallet is in my shorts in Matt's den," Dave said. "Just grab what you need."

Abbey shook her head at him as Dave got the patented Hotch glare from Matt.

"Mind if I come along?" Stella asked. Abbey just smiled at her as they left the pool area to change and go to the food market.

Matt watched intently as the ladies left and then looked around, smiling broadly. "I think its beer drinking time boys."

###

**A/N: This is where I get to show my pride at being a dairy farmer's granddaughter. I grew up in that same environment. My parents and I lived six miles from the family farm, and my greatest childhood memories are spending time there. Except for the chicken coop; the hens loved grandpa. They just scratched the hell out of my hands when I tried to get the eggs. Look at chicken feet and get the visual; I came out bloody. And back in Matt's time age, baling hay (alfalfa) was damn hard work, which I did as a teenager. I am woman. Hear me roar. ;) It wasn't automated like it is now with the big round bales. Back then, it was square bales that weighed about 50 pounds each that you had to load (correctly) on the hay wagon and then unload; and usually on the hottest days of summer. So don't miss that part.**


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Abbey and Stella, after returning from the food market, did some quick preparations for the rest of Dave's meal request. Casee joined them, enjoying some "girl" time with her mom and aunt. While she had quickly learned how to handle the testosterone level in the house, including standing her ground in "her" kitchen area in the playroom downstairs, doing it for real was much more fun. And both the women involved her; Casee loved being a part of it.

As they finished, the movie was ending and the boys wanted to get back in the pool. They all went out onto the deck to see the guys enjoying a beer and talking sports. Mac and Matt, as usual, were at each other over their divided loyalties to the NFC North Division. Mac, the Chicago kid, proudly defended his Bears, while Matt equally defended his Green Bay Packers, having spent that much time in Wisconsin. It was a sore spot between the brothers that involved a great deal of money on bets being exchanged over the years.

Dave looked at the two brothers and the group coming out into the pool area. "Enter at your own risk."

Abbey rolled her eyes. "They are not at it again."

Dave smiled. "Yup."

Reed looked at Abbey. "So this is usual?"

Aaron looked at Reed. "Fortunately; it just didn't get to its usual really nasty." Reed laughed as Hotch and Rossi just shook their heads. Matt growled a smile at Mac.

Dave looked at Hotch. "So where's Beth?" he not so innocently asked.

"She has a big exhibit coming up. But tonight should be her last long night," he simply answered, now used to Rossi's shit.

Matt and Hotch joined Abbey and Stella to get sunscreen reapplied to the kids and let them loose. The pool erupted again with the sounds of splashing and laughter. Reed, grabbing his beer, quietly slipped in the patio door.

Dave, coming out of the garage with the next round, nodded at Mac and Matt, as Hotch moved to watch over the kids. "He's probably working on his notebook. Uncle Matt," Mac smiled at his brother, "shut him down on an interview, but also gave him a challenge."

Rossi crooked an eyebrow at Matt. "He's a fantastic writer. I just told him to observe." Looking at Mac and then Dave, he added, "He'll still get a helluva story out of this week."

Dave just smiled at the two of them, and looked at Matt. "Knew I raised you right."

Matt, taking the beer from Rossi laughed. "Woof, woof big dog." Mac just smiled and shook his head at the exchange.

The meal was simply wonderful. Matt, with Hotch's help, cooked the pork chops to perfection. Reed polished off the last of the carrots. He smiled sheepishly at the rest. "It's been a while since I've had a home cooked meal. And Abbey, whatever candied carrots are, you can make them again this week. They are the bomb."

Abbey just smiled at him. "I cook baby carrots until they are tender, drain them, add butter and when that's melted, add brown sugar. They're pretty easy."

Stella looked at him. "You could handle that. Even in that so called kitchen of yours in your apartment."

Dave looked at Reed, as Casee climbed up into Dave's lap with a towel wrapped around her. "Still the first apartment?"

"Yup, it is. I like the location and the rent is affordable."

Rossi gave Reed the cocked eyebrow. "Ahhhhh; the location is close to the subway, and the rent is pretty cheap but the building is a dump with no upkeep."

Reed looked Rossi. "Did you just profile that?"

"Nope, kid," Dave smiled. "I grew up on Long Island. Been there, done that," he smiled.

-00CM00-

An early morning thunderstorm line, which had woke Matt to turn on the TV in he and Abbey's bedroom to make sure nothing was severe, heralded a perfect day in DC area. The humidity was gone.

As the combined Taylor families enjoyed a breakfast of pancakes and sausages, Matt looked at Mac, as the two of them flipped pancakes. "Should we take Reed down to the Mall today and hit some of the sites?"

Mac looked at his younger brother. "Do you mind?"

"Hell no," Matt whispered. "Just remember we will have young kids along. They need a break every now and then."

"Got it." They all worked together to get everything ready for the day.

Abbey, Stella and the kids piled into the family crossover van as Matt, Mac and Reed followed along in Matt's truck. As they drove, Matt gave Mac a ration of shit about wearing a pair of cargo shorts. "You better get those white legs buttered up with the kids," he laughed at his brother.

They pulled into the parking area of the DC Metro stop nearest to the house. Matt got out and pulled the kids wagon out of the back of the truck, and he and Mac loaded up the wagon with the cooler that held the drinks and lunch that Abbey and Stella had made out of the van. The all took the time to get sunscreen on.

They walked into the station. Abbey used it every day she worked to get to her job. Matt and Abbey put $20 dollar bills into the kiosks to cover all of their rides into the city. Mac scowled at both of them. "You know, Stella and I could have helped on that," as Matt and Abbey passed out the Metro cards they all would need.

Matt smiled. "You'll get your chance. With the kids, we can't cover the entire Mall in one day. If you don't mind, we'll do the west end today." Matt looked around. "Please just make sure that someone is holding one of the kid's hands."

Reed looked at Matt. "I've got Casee," he said. Matt looked to see her firmly holding Reed's hand, smiling.

"And we've got the boys," Abbey smiled at Stella. "You two take care of the wagon," she added, looking at the Taylor brothers.

They walked to the area where they scanned their cards to get on the Metro and passed through to head for the platform. Two Metro Security officers approached the group. Smiling, the younger one said, "I'm sorry folks, but we have to inspect that cooler before we can let you on the train."

Matt smiled. "Thank you. We appreciate you doing your job," he said as he showed the officers his FBI credentials. Abbey added her Federal District Attorney credentials, and Mac and Stella produced their NYPD shields. Reed just smiled.

Both officers joined Reed. "Enjoy your day," the older one smiled as he nodded at them to proceed.

The Huntington Station in Fairfax County in Virginia was on the ground level, so the kids could see the train coming in the daylight. It was their first time taking the Metro and the three of them could hardly contain their excitement. Since the station was the current end stop for the Yellow Line, once it pulled in, it would head back to the heart of the city.

Cam looked off in the distance. "Here it comes Col!" Colin, holding his mother's hand looked to see where his big brother was pointing. Casee, with Reed's hand holding hers, looked up at him and shared a smiled.

Mac looked in the distance as well. He waved a finger at the family that was the only ones on the platform, and gave the engineer the signal to sound the horn. As the train approached, Mac and Stella could see the engineer smiling as he tooted the horn. They both smiled at the kids that beamed and waved at the engineer that waved back. Matt rubbed Abbey's shoulder and smiled at her.

They let the passengers get off and then got on. As the trained pulled out, the engineer joined them in what was now the last car. He smiled and talked with the kids, kneeling down to get to Colin's level. He explained that the engineer in now the front car was driving the train. "Here's the fun part son," he smiled at Colin, as the train dipped into the underground system.

He looked at Abbey. "Where you getting off today since you're not working?"

"L'Enfant to switch to the Blue Line Jamaal. We're going to spend some time on the Mall," she smiled and made the introductions. "How's your family?"

"They're great Abbey; thank you for asking. And it's wonderful to finally meet yours. But at the Eisenhower stop, you might want to move up a few cars. It'll make your switch at L'Enfant easier."

As the Metro pulled into the station, Matt shook his hand and Jamaal told them to enjoy their day. They followed his advice. As the train moved up the line, more people added at each stop. As they approached the L'Enfant Station, Abbey, Stella and Reed, veteran subway riders, moved towards the door. Matt, covering the end, looked around to make sure the entire group was intact. "Kids, you hang on to the hand you are holding."

"I got mama's dad," Colin said. Mac, standing with him at the back of the group, smiled at his brother. Matt shook his head. "Was I really like that as a younger brother?"

"Yup; you had to get your share of the attention."

"Only because you hogged most of it," Matt teased. They both shared a laugh as the family left the Yellow Line train and crossed the platform to get to the Blue Line train that would take them to their stop.

Cam tugged Stella's hand; "Hurry or we'll miss the train."

"Cam," Stella said, rubbing his chin. "It's going the wrong way. That train is going towards home. We want to go into the city."

Cam looked Stella in the eye. "You're really smart Aunt Stella, aren't you?" Stella just smiled and pulled him into a hug.

Reed looked at Casee. "Yes she is Case. And she saved my life." Casee smiled at the both of them. Mac, noticing the exchange, smiled more. Matt, knowing what happened with the "Cabbie Killer" case, Dave's consultant and his final analysis for the FBI files, simply rubbed Mac's shoulder.

Abbey noticed the lights blinking in the platform, signaling a train approaching. She smiled at her oldest son. "This is our train Cam." She swung Colin's hand a bit as it approached. The Blue Line Train to take them to the Smithsonian stop pulled in and they all got on.

When they got to the stop and got off the Metro, Mac smiled at his sister-in-law's wisdom. The quickest way to get to the Mall was an escalator. _That's why Matt and I were assigned wagon patrol_. Matt looking at his brother and reading his thoughts, just smiled. He looked at the rest. "You head up. Uncle Mac and I will be right behind you."

Matt handed the handle of the front of the wagon to Mac. "You take that. I'll hold up the back end to keep it level."

Mac eyed him. "I'm not built like you but I can hold up my own end."

Matt couldn't resist. "But does Stella say that bro?" he whispered.

"That's none of your damn business," Mac whispered back. None of the rest could hear the conversation, but it was obvious that Matt was once again trying to get under Mac's skin.

As Abbey and Stella got on the escalator with the boys, they rolled their eyes at each other. "Will they ever grow up?" Abbey asked. Reed was behind them with Casee, quietly laughing at the question.

"I doubt it," Stella smiled. "They're brothers."

Reed rubbed Abbey's back and nodded at the two boys she and Stella were taking care of. "That's them in 25 years."

Abbey looked at Stella. "I don't even want to think about that." Stella laughed and pulled her into a hug. The Taylor brothers and Reed just smiled.

###

**A/N: Having had many business trips into Washington, DC (with some down time in those trips), I know the "tourist" spots and the DC Metro system like the back of my hand. And to any, whether in the States, or international, I highly recommend the DC Metro system to get around if you decide to go there. Now, if I could only convince my nearly 80 YO dad to do the same, I would be happy camper.**

**A/N2: The Green Bay Packers, my favorite NFL (American football) pro team, and the Chicago Bears have the longest and nastiest rivalry in American football. The teams are less than 300 miles apart and play each other twice a year, once in Chicago and the other in Green Bay. Beyond that, I can't begin to describe to all of you just how bad that rivalry among the two teams' fans is, except to say this: it can get ugly; in a hurry.**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: *sets out box of tissues* Just in case.**

Chapter 5

Abbey, Stella and the boys were the first to walk off the escalator onto the Mall, followed by Reed with Casee. He looked at the first site he saw. Shaking his head, he looked at the two ladies, while moving away to let Mac and Matt get the wagon off. "Wow," is all he said.

Matt, looking at the same view, wrapped his arm around Reed's shoulder. "Pretty impressive, isn't it?"

"What is it daddy," Casee questioned.

"That's the Washington Monument." Reed pulled his digital camera from his backpack and started taking pictures. Looking in the distance, he saw the Lincoln Memorial behind the Washington Monument and the World War II Memorial in between. Matt looked at him, as the group made their way from the escalator. "Turn around Reed."

Reed did as Matt told him and saw the US Capitol at the other end of the Mall. "Now that's really impressive," he said as he took another picture.

Matt smiled. "We've got young legs along, so we're just going to do the west end today and be slow in the process." Since the next day would be the Fourth, DC Metro Police already had barricades up, blocking the streets that ran by the Washington Monument. Tomorrow, the Mall would be filled with over 200,000 people for the National Concert on the steps of the Capitol and the fireworks display. Crews were working to get the huge monitors going so that all on the Mall could enjoy the concert.

Yet the barricades gave the family with the young children easy access. The group made their way around the Washington Monument and headed for the south side of the Mall on the west side. They made their way to the Jefferson Memorial, walking around the Tidal Pool. As they did, Stella looked at Abbey, nodding at the trees that lined the pool. "Do you ever get here when the Cherry Blossoms are out?"

Abbey smiled. "We did one year. I had just been promoted to the DC Fed office and Matt was teaching at the FBI Academy. Our careers finally put us together," Abbey smiled. "It was just before I got pregnant with the twins."

When they reached the site, they looked at the statue of Jefferson and read some of the words of the Declaration of Independence on one of the walls. "Aunt Stella, who is he," Cam whispered.

Stella smiled at her nephew. "He was a great man that was one of the founders of our country. We owe him a lot."

Cam looked at the statue and gave it a salute. "Thank you." Matt and Abbey smiled at their oldest son. They continued to walk around the circular small bay, also taking in the FDR Memorial and the new King Memorial. They slowly made their ways towards the Lincoln Memorial so the kids wouldn't get tired out. Colin, showing signs of starting to drag, sat on top of the cooler in the wagon after Mac put him there.

As they finally approached the memorial, Colin noticed the Reflecting Pool. He looked at his mother. "Wow, mom; now that's a big swimming pool." The all laughed at his youthful observation, with Mac ruffling his hair.

Casee looked up the steps of the Memorial. "Col, look at the size of that guy! He needs a pool that big!" The adults laughed even louder as Matt and Abbey gently explained to the three kids about the monuments they were seeing and why they were so much larger than real life.

"They were that big when our country needed them," Matt concluded.

Cam, like his BFF Jack, was a profiler in the making. He noticed the change in his Uncle Mac, who had moved to stand next to him and Stella as they looked at Mr. Lincoln, sitting in his chair. "He's special, isn't he Uncle Mac?"

Mac smiled at his nephew and grabbed his other hand and knelt down next to him. "Cam, at a time when this country really needed a leader, a President, he was that man. He saved this country."

Cam mulled that thought over for a second. "Then I guess he gets to be that big."

Stella broadly smiled as Mac rubbed his nephew's chin. "Yes he does Cam."

Reed looked at all of them. "Uncle Matt, give me the wagon. The rest of you go stand by the steps so I can get a picture." He sat on the cooler in the wagon as the Taylor family gathered for the photo. When he finished, Reed looked into the view screen in the back of his camera. "That's a great pic," he said showing Stella and Abbey. "And yes, I know you both want copies. I'll take care of it."

Matt, with his linguistic skills, heard a Japanese family debating about whom to ask to take the same family picture. Matt smiling approached them. With his perfect dialect of their language, he offered to take the picture, adding, smiling at the teenage daughter, "Will you take one of our family as well?" Smiles were exchanged as the daughter handed him her camera and Matt got them lined up for the picture. Stella smiled at Mac.

As he finished, Reed handed his camera to teenager. She got them all together, and took a couple pictures. Handing the camera back to Reed, she said looking at the results, "It's OK?" with a thick Japanese accent.

Reed smiled, looking at the pictures. "They are wonderful. Thank you." Matt translated for the entire family, who smiled as well. The father asked Matt a question, which he patiently answered, pointing to the path to the Jefferson Memorial. The shared their good-byes. Matt gave the father the traditional Japanese bow of respect, which was reciprocated.

Cam looked at Abbey. "Mom, I'm getting hungry."

"Me too," Colin added.

"Me three," Casee smiled. "And thirsty." While it was a pleasant day, with the temperature around 80˚ and low humidity, the kids had been out in the sun for over two hours.

Matt nodded to the picnic area on the north side of the Reflecting Pool. "You three go up and look at the inside of that memorial. It's very moving. We'll," he said nodding at Abbey, "take the kids over to one of the tables and give them a break on the other side of trees to get them out of the sun."

When Mac, Stella and Reed rejoined them, the kids were already enjoying PBJ's and a juice box, along with some chips. Matt, pulling his non-regulation FBI knife out of his pocket, cut up two of the apples Abbey had put in the cooler for the kids. Abbey handed him a piece of paper towel to clean the blade. He stuck the used towel in the plastic bag he had tied to the picnic table for garbage, already holding the cores of the apples. The rest dived into the sandwiches that Abbey and Stella had made earlier, as well as the chips and apples.

Matt bent over the cooler on the ground, trying to fish something out of the bottom. Mac standing behind him, noticed the handle of his Glock safely tucked in the backside of his cargo shorts as Matt's t-shirt, showing his support for the Green Bay Packers, pulled up. He grabbed Matt's elbow and gently pulled him away from the table a bit. "You're armed?"

"Bro, I'm a feeb. We're required; it comes with the credentials."

Mac shrugged. "Well that shit t-shirt you're wearing isn't doing its job, as usual," he whispered.

Matt looked at Mac's Chicago Bears t-shirt. "But my shirt does the job when it has to. You really have the guts to wear that in public?" he countered to his older brother with a smile as he moved back to the group. They both laughed as Matt dove back into the cooler and pulled out five beers.

"You know, you Packer fans do a few redeeming qualities," Mac said as accepted the beer.

Matt smiled at his older brother. "Bite me."

Stella and Abbey shared looks. Reed looked at them both. "After yesterday, I know better than to get between that," he smiled. The family enjoyed the lunch in the shade.

When they finished and cleaned up the area, with Matt depositing the garbage in the nearest receptacle, they moved towards the Vietnam Wall. Matt's cell went off in his pocket and he pulled it out.

Stella looked at him. "Is it a case?"

Matt, shaking his head, smiled at her. "No, we're all on vacation this week, and by our big boss' orders, on stand down as well."

Mac looked at him. "Even though you are vacation, you can get called in?"

"Yes, if the case merits the priority. But it happens very rarely." He smiled at Mac. "The stand down order takes care of that." He looked to see Mac, Stella and Reed with questions. "We had two cases last week," Matt explained. "Hotch and I had to split the team to get them done."

"How'd you do it," Mac asked.

"Hotch took Morgan and Reid, while Dave and I took the kick butt ladies." He smiled. "It worked out rather well, but not something we like to do. And the two cases pushed Garcia to the brink. But that's why we have the stand down order. It was a tough week trying to solve two cases simultaneously, which we all really worked together from our two sites."

Abbey rubbed her husband's arm. "So what's going on?"

Matt smiled at her and gave her a kiss. "Nothing major and a discussion we can have the Metro back home." Abbey knowing, and more importantly, trusting her husband, just smiled.

They group moved down the pathway that opened to their first view of "The Wall". Reed stopped dead in his tracks, as he looked at the black gabbro that rose from a triangle corner to the apex of the wall's height at over ten feet and then tapered down to the same shape at the other end. Shaking his head, he whispered, "So many names."

Matt standing next to him shook his head as well. "So many names of the lives lost to absolutely poor military planning."

Mac, pulling the wagon, came up alongside the two. "Matt, that's a pretty strong statement."

"Bro, don't get me wrong. I honor each and every man and woman whose name is on that Wall and their sacrifice. And I know I'm a Naval Academy graduate. But my junior year, I took one of my history classes: Military Planning in History. The Lt. Commander that taught the class was a historian. She spent most of the class covering the entire world history of mistakes; the last three weeks, she focused entirely on Vietnam and pretty much dissected it. We should have never been there in the first place and when we were, they did not do it right."

"What do mean, Uncle Matt? Never should have been there?"

"Reed, the French went there in the early 1950's and quickly determined you can't win a war against jungle fighters, fighting on their home turf. That's why they left. Their assessment was never listened to by US politicians and the Pentagon."

Reed looked at Matt. "So _We Were Soldiers_ was pretty accurate?"

"Yeah, it was damn accurate." He rubbed Reed's shoulder. "But that doesn't mean we don't honor," Matt said, nodding at the names, "them."

As they entered to start up the concrete path that went past the Wall, Matt looked at Abbey and whispered, "I think the kids should know. They're old enough to understand." She nodded. "Do you need to look it up?"

"No; panel 18E, line 42." Mac looked at her. "My uncle; Tet Offensive."

They all somberly walked down the path. They took the time to look at the two statues that were near the Wall. Cam observed the first one. "Those soldiers are pointing at the Wall dad."

Matt rubbed his neck. "They're pointing at their brothers in arms, son."

Casee, now holding Stella's hand looked at the second, honoring the women that served. "There were girls there?"

"Yes, sweetheart, there was. They were nurses, taking care of the soldiers that got hurt. And some of them died too."

They made their way back to the Wall, and Abbey found the panel. It took her less than a minute to find the name and lovingly rub her fingers across the etching. Cam looked at his mother, squeezed her hand and simply questioned, "Mom?"

"James Carmichael; he was my uncle. I don't remember him. But that's his name, and we honor him Cam."

Reed put Colin up on his shoulders and helped him to rub his tiny fingers across the name of his great uncle. Mac lifted Casee up so she could do the same.

A US Park Ranger, standing by and noticing the exchange, walked up to the group and looked at Cam. Handing him a gold sheet of paper the size of an envelope and pencil, he said, "Why don't you take his name home with you son."

Matt nodded at his oldest son to take the paper and pencil and lifted him up on his shoulders. "Cam put the paper over Uncle James' name." Cam did as his dad said. "Now take the pencil and gently rub across the paper." Abbey reached up to help him start. Cam finished the rest and smiled at the Ranger, handing the pencil back.

"Thank you," he said.

"You're welcome. Always remember him son," he said, giving Cam's head a rub when Matt pulled him down. Abbey loving tucked the piece of paper in her bag.

As the family moved down the path, and away from the Wall, Mac and Matt looked at each other. The last one was going to be tough on them.

They made their way to the World War II Memorial. Matt and Mac looked around the Pacific Pavilion that honored that theatre of the war. Both being Marines, they knew their brothers in uniform bore the brunt of that war, along with the Navy.

They made their way to the Atlantic Pavilion. Standing with an arm draped over each other's shoulder, they looked at each other. They remembered their dad. A very young McKenna Taylor, whom his parents helped to lie about his age so he could get into the fight to save the world. And what he did at Buchenwald. Mac had sent Matt the mpeg he had received at the end of a case a couple years back.

Matt shook his head. "Damn, I wish dad had lived to see this. He, and all the rest of them, they deserve this."

"Yes, he did bro. They all do. They were the greatest generation." The brothers hugged.

###

**A/N: Sowry folks. You know me. I can make it tissue time every once in a while. For you CM fans not knowing CSI:NY, Mac, and Matt's father (per a scripted episode of CSI:NY that was about arresting a former Nazi prison guard) was part of the Third Armored Division that liberated the Buchenwald death camp. At the end, Mac received an mpeg from of a Holocaust survivor recounting that he was found by McKenna Taylor.**

**A/N2: At each end of the Vietnam Wall, there is a kiosk where you can enter a name and find where that person's name is on the Wall, by panel and line designation. US Park Rangers are at the Wall fulltime. They give visitors the paper and pencil I described so you can take a copy of the name home. Each name is engraved into the black gabbro, so when you rub the pencil across, the name is highlighted where the pencil doesn't show up. I still have mine of B. Bradley Hartman, the only person from my hometown that was KIA in Vietnam.**

**A/N3: The nurse's statue at the Wall also holds a special place in my heart. I did a radio news show when I was in college, and the woman that was instrumental in getting that statue done and placed there lived in the same city of the college I attended. I had the very humbling experience of interviewing her for my show, shortly before the statue was dedicated on that hallowed ground.**


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Please note the rating. My potty mouth shows up again. So, I'm making it up to all of you by giving you a "2 for 1" special. Enjoy! And thank you for all of the reviews, favs, alerts, et al. You folks are really special.**

Chapter 6

While the kids enjoyed the time in the city, four hours of looking at memorials was starting to push their patience. The group made their way back to the Metro stop to head home. After they had switched to the Yellow Line, Matt looked at Abbey.

"Do you mind if we host a bigger than planned Fourth of July party?" Abbey looked at him. "The text message earlier?"

"Umm, got it. How big?"

"The whole team, plus Morgan and JJ's mothers."

"If everyone chips in," Abbey looked at him, shrugging "why not?" They looked at Stella and Mac, already knowing Reed's response. "Do you two mind?"

"The more the merrier," Mac smiled. "And I guess, I'm like Reed; I would really like to meet all of them."

Stella added, "I'll be more than happy to help you out and we can chip in as well."

As they pulled into the station above ground, Matt fired off the text he had already composed. By the time the family sat down to their supper, the next day was completely arranged.

Reed took the kids outside so they could ride their bikes, as the four cleaned up the kitchen. Mac and Matt, doing the dishes, stood side by side. Stella looked at them. "Bring back memories."

Mac looked at her. "Not really; because when we did it at the farm we were kicking each other in the calves and shins and the elbows flew as well." Stella and Abbey just shook their heads.

When they finished, Matt looked at Abbey. "Give me the low down about tomorrow babe."

Abbey pulled out a piece of paper with her notes. "Here we go: first off, it's BYOB. Dave is buying the burgers; plus, he knows the kids love a fruit salad, so he's going to pay for the fruit as well."

"But he buys it and you make it," Matt said.

"Matt, give me a chance," Abbey said looking at her husband. Matt raised his hands in the air. "Fran, Derek's mom, wants to make your grandma's chocolate cake recipe I sent her, but obviously, Derek doesn't have any of the ingredients around his place, so she's coming here to make it. She said she would help us with the fruit salad."

Mac looked at Stella. "And you're not?"

"Oh, I'll help with that, but I'm also making my infamous Greek salad."

"Damn you," Matt said.

"Excuse me," Stella retorted.

"Don't get me wrong Sis, it always smells and looks absolutely wonderful. But do you really have to add the red onion, tomatoes, cucumbers and olives? My guts; remember?"

Stella shook her head. "Sorry little brother; but that's what makes it a Greek salad."

"That," Mac said smiling, "and the olive oil."

"Oh hell bro, even I know it's not Greek if it doesn't have olive oil."

Mac rolled his eyes at his younger brother and looked at Abbey. "Just what am I doing in this process?"

Abbey looked at him. "You're as bad as him," pointing at Matt. "Shut up and listen."

Matt pointed at Mac. "The class good guy just got called out."

"Screw you."

Stella laughed as Abbey just shook her head, rolling her eyes. "I don't have enough testosterone in my life." Looking at the two brothers, she added, "Do the two of you mind?"

"Go babe," Matt smiled.

"JJ made a pan of the M&M bars for Henry and Will on Monday. But since it's so huge, she's going to bring some of them. Her mom, Sandy, is going to make a potato salad."

Matt looked at Mac. "I think the salads are covered."

Abbey looked her husband in the eye. "Asshole."

"Oh, she called you an asshole? You two are really married," Mac commented.

Matt stared his brother down. "And Stella hasn't called you that?"

Mac looked at the floor and then at Matt and Abbey, "Maybe once or twice," he sheepishly admitted.

"Oh, you two are so ready," Abbey laughed. "Just give me the word. I'll blow Jack McCoy's socks off so you two can get your heads out of your collective asses. I know how he plays."

Matt kissed Abbey. "You rock babe." Mac and Stella just looked at each other. Matt put his index finger into Mac's forehead. "Moving on."

"Moving on," she said, looking at her list. "Derek is making a batch of lemonade for the kids." Matt just looked at her. Abbey stared back at him. "Penelope is bringing the turkey burgers for her and Kevin. The three of them will also join Dave on the kick in for the fruit salad."

Matt nodded. "Emily is on bun patrol, as well as the fruit salad committee, plus a couple of bottles of wine for us girls; she'll be here by two," Abbey added. "And Reid is in charge of paper product, which I outlined to him in detail and buying the canned baked beans that I only serve."

Matt smiled, and then looked at Abbey. "You're not done."

"No, I'm not. Aaron is buying the ingredients for homemade ice cream. I emailed Beth the recipe; she's putting it together for him."

"Whoa Abbey, just a second," Mac said. "Homemade ice cream?"

"Yes; another one of your grandma's recipes I have. And that's where, you my brother, come in. You are in charge of getting the ice to make it; as well as crank it."

"Crank it?" Mac said.

Abbey smiled. "Matt told me how every Sunday at the farm in the summer, you boys would help Da crank homemade ice cream in the afternoon that your grandma put together. I found an old fashion one that was the same as the two of you used on the farm on eBay that was refurbished and in mint condition. I bid on it and got it."

"I'm normally the lone cranker," Matt intoned, harkening back to the days of the _Lone Ranger_ on the radio. "The kids love it. But I'm guessing I'm off that duty for once?"

"Yup," Abbey smiled. "Because you obviously have grill duty along with Aaron; but Mac and Reed will be here, along with," she smiled largely, "the very muscled Derek Morgan. And btw, my husband; you get to put them to work." She nudged him. "Get Dave to do his turn as well."

Matt smiled. "I like this."

Stella smiled at Abbey. "I think this sounds like a meal."

Matt looked at Abbey. "One thing: hot dogs."

Abbey walked over to the freezer section of their side by side, and pulled a package of hotdogs out of the freezer and placed them in the refrigerator to unthaw.

Stella looked at both of them. "Damn you two are good," she smiled.

Matt waved his wedding ring at both of them as he put his arm around Abbey's shoulder. "So why don't you two join the club?"

###

**A/N: Did I mention another reference to a TV show that might set up another crossover? *face palm* Gee, I never even thought of that. *giggles* And yes, you can make homemade ice cream. But you gotta start with my grandma's recipe, which I have. It involves a round metal cylinder with a paddle inside that turns the recipe. Most are now electric. The old school ones, that I described, involves a wooden bucket holding the cylinder in the middle that you add ice and salt (to melt the ice while adding more ice) around the outside of the cylinder to get the mixture hard. On the top is a handle process, involving the "tongue" that comes out of the top of the paddle that fits in a groove wheel through the lid that turns the cylinder around the ice to get it hard. And it involves "cranking" it by hand, with the handle on the side of the top apparatus. But the thing is, as you continually crank, that mixture gets hard in a hurry. So "cranking it" towards the end, involves some strong arms and elbow grease. Some more of my precious childhood memories; my family did this every summer holiday. My family still does get together one holiday in the summer and we make ice cream like the old days on the farm; all 25 of us. The teenagers now fight over doing the "cranking". I just sit back in my chair, drinking a beer, and laugh at them. Age brings wisdom. *lifts beer in toast to my readers***


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

After an easy breakfast of cereal and muffins, the Taylor family dove into action preparing for the party. Abbey and Stella went to the food market to get what Stella needed for her Greek salad and Abbey buying the fruit, which Dave would reimburse her for. Casee joined the ladies. Matt and Mac got the deck around the pool ready, moving the large picnic table into an area that would be in the afternoon shade. Reed, having watched Matt do it yesterday morning, cleaned out the pool with his two cousins "supervising".

Matt cleaned off the picnic table with a bucket of hot water and dish soap, and Mac took the hose and rinsed it. Matt then moved to the six-top table with umbrella that sat next to the pool. It had a glass top. Cam looked at Mac. "Here comes the really yucky part Uncle Mac."

"Yucky?"

"Yeah, just watch." Matt opened the umbrella and two bats flew out, disturbed from their daylight slumber.

"What the heck," Mac said.

"I really don't mind having them around," Matt countered. "You're the scientist; you know how many mosquitoes they eat a night. But why they crawl up in there is beyond me. It's bright out here in the morning."

"To them it's dark enough and protected," Mac replied.

"One got in the house last week," Cam reported. "Mom freaked."

"What'd you do?" Mac asked, looking at Matt.

"What do you think I did?" Matt smiled. "I shot it. Didn't you see the bullet hole in the living room?" Both the boys giggled. Mac just shook his head.

"He really didn't Uncle Mac," Colin explained. "But that bat is now in bat heaven."

Matt winked at Mac. "Golf is my game; but you gotta love a tennis racket." Mac just smiled and pointed at Matt. Matt smiled at Mac. "My wife wasn't the happiest camper about how I used her racket." Mac just laughed.

"Btw, my old set of golf clubs still here?" Mac asked.

"Yeah, and you, Aaron, Dave and I have 9:23 tee time Saturday morning." Mac smiled. As they continued to clean up the deck, the girls returned. "It's our turn to run," Matt smiled.

"Matt?"

"The beer supply needs refreshing, we need ice for the cooler, and I do believe you are on ice patrol for the ice cream."

"Would you two mind seeing if they have something for me," Reed asked as he worked on the pool.

"No Reed; what are you looking for?" Matt questioned.

"I discovered this really great beer but you've probably never heard of it. It's called Leinenkugel's HoneyWeiss. If they have it, could you pick me up a six pack?"

Matt and Mac looked at each other. "He's your son; you explain it to him."

"Reed, Leine's is brewed in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin. And regular Leine's is all Da drank." Reed smiled at the shared memory.

Mac looked at him. Reed looked back. "Whatttt?"

"You've got a job and doing quite well. I don't buy your beer."

"Well, dad, I'm a little busy right now and obviously," he said smiling, "I don't have my wallet on me. I'll pay you back when you get home and I'm out of here," he smiled.

Mac pointed at him. "I'm holding you to that."

Matt laughed and the two of them went into the kitchen to tell the ladies they were making their run. On the way, they dropped off the cylinder for Beth's ice cream mixture at the Hotchner home.

-00CM00-

By two that afternoon, the kitchen at the Taylor home was busy. Fran Morgan had just took the chocolate cake out of the oven and moved to help Abbey, Stella and Emily with the fruit salad. Stella already had her Greek salad cooling in the one the fridges in the garage. Dave showed up with the burgers, which he put in the other fridge, and walked out onto the deck, while Mudgie joined Wilma watching the kids. Matt and Mac were relaxing in lounge chairs as Reed and Derek were playing baseball with the kids in the yard. Dave handed his six pack of beer to Matt to put in the cooler, handing two beers he pulled from the fridge to the Taylor brothers. "It's the Fourth; you can start early," he smiled.

Matt looked at him. "And you don't want to drink alone," he laughed.

"Nope; cardinal sin in my book except when I'm home drinking scotch," Dave smiled, as he grabbed one of his own before Matt put it in the cooler.

Aaron, Jack and Beth soon appeared, with Jack disappearing to join the baseball game the minute he got out of the car. Aaron and Beth made their way into the house, and he introduced her to Stella and Fran. Beth looked at Abbey, holding the ice cream cylinder. "Where do you want this?" Hotch put a bag of groceries on the kitchen island for munchies.

Abbey looked at Hotch. "Aaron, could you take that back out to the garage and find a spot in one of the fridges. The colder it is, it will get harder that much quicker." Hotch took the cylinder to garage, dropping off Jack's bag on the steps as he headed out. As he put the mixture in the beer fridge, he grabbed one of Matt's beers and head out to the deck. Beth joined the gang in helping with the fruit salad.

Dave looked at him. "You don't bring your own beer?"

Hotch smiled. "The joys of command."

Matt looked at Dave. "He drinks my beer."

Mac laughed. "I'm going to have to remember that." Yet Mac, like Dave, knew the partners had long ago even worked that out in their relationship.

The kids, along with Reed and Derek blew onto the deck. Matt held up a hand before the kids could even open their mouths, and pointed inside. "Just go and get your swimsuits on."

Hotch looked at Jack. "Your bag is on the steps. But you and Cam help Colin, OK buddy?"

"Uncle Aaron," Col said indignantly, "I can do it myself."

"We'll check on him dad," Jack whispered as they kids rushed into the house to get changed. They all smiled at the kids. Reed followed them in to change into his swimsuit.

"Cob, where can I change into mine?" Derek asked.

"Use Abbey and I's bathroom. Top of the steps; our bedroom is in the back left corner." Morgan went in as well.

As he did JJ, Will, Henry and Sandy came through the garage. JJ looked at Matt. "Will put mom's potato salad in one of the fridges."

Matt smiled at her. "Perfect." He shook hands with Will, greeted Sandy and JJ and introduced them to Mac.

Hotch grabbed Will's six pack, handed him one and put it in the cooler and then excused himself. "One more kid means I'm on lifeguard duty as well." He looked at Henry. "Did you bring your swimsuit?" Henry bobbed his head up and down. Just then, the kids burst through the door. "Want to join them?"

Henry looked at Hotch. "Can I Uncle Aaron?" Hotch looked at the smiles on JJ and Will's faces. Sandy beamed as well.

"You bet. Come on, I'll take you inside and get you changed." JJ handed Hotch Henry's bag.

While that conversation was going on, Matt grounded the already changed kids with his shrill whistle to dead stop. "No one gets in the pool without sunscreen."

"I'll help you with that Matt," JJ said. The two of them applied sunscreen to the kids and the four of them did a collective cannonball into the pool, sending a major splash over the side of the pool. Reed walked out from Matt's study, and did a head count to make sure four heads bobbed back up to the surface. JJ and Sandy laughed at the sight and made their way into the kitchen to help.

Derek came out with Emily following him. "What's up Princess?"

"I get to put sunscreen on you," she smiled.

"What about the fruit salad?"

"Just about done." Emily smiled at him. "And besides, I can drive Garcia crazy with telling her how I helped you get your sunscreen on." Emily smiled devilishly. "I still owe her for her 'visitor Prentiss' comment. Paybacks are a bitch," Prentiss snarked. Morgan just smiled.

Reed, satisfied that the kids were OK, looked at the group and made his way over to meet everyone. "Hey Uncle Matt, send that sunscreen to me." Matt tossed him the bottle. Mac helped him get his back and shoulders. Hotch came out with Henry, with the all the ladies following.

Matt looked at Abbey, Stella and Beth as they came out. "Helps if you have a crew?"

"A big project becomes short work," she smiled. JJ got Henry buttered up with sunscreen as well, while Beth helped Aaron.

Henry looked at Sandy. "Grandma! Watch! I can swim!" And with that, he did his own cannonball into the pool. Dave sitting in his chair proudly smiled, which Mac noticed.

"You enjoy this."

"Mac, those kids mean more to me than my own life," Dave simply said. Mac nodded his head in understanding, as Stella rubbed his shoulders, smiling at Mac.

She bent over and kissed his cheek. "I'm glad you have them in your life."

Dave turned to look her in the eye. "Me too Stella." Reed at that end of the pool noticed the exchange.

At the same time as that conversation, Sandy looked at JJ. JJ smiled. "He wouldn't trust Will and me for his life. Twenty minutes here this spring, and Matt and Hotch had him swimming like the rest of the fish," she nodded towards the pool.

Matt smiled at Sandy, giving her arm a rub. "Guess it's my turn to get into a swimsuit."

Mac looked at Stella. "I think I'll join the parade."

When the Taylor brothers reappeared, the ladies they loved took care of the sunscreen part as well. Dave pulled his chair in the shade but able to keep an eye on the proceedings. Fran and Sandy, each enjoying a glass of wine that Will had got them, sat in the shade of the picnic table, talking and laughing at the kids frolicking in the pool.

And then it happened. The biggest whirling dervish in the world, known as Garcia, blew into the proceedings with Kevin and the good Dr. Reid in tow. If the pool area wasn't alive with the kids playing, it surely was now. Matt put two fingers in his mouth to give out his highest shrill whistle. They all froze. "Time for meeting some, as Garcia would say, 'peeps'."

Matt introduced the rest of the team to Mac, Stella and Reed. "And folks, for the duration of the evening and to avoid confusion," pointing at his nephew Reed, "this is Reed." Pointing at Spencer, he added, "he's Doc." They all laughed.

"But since I have all of your attention, Will, you and Hotch are on lifeguard duty. Mac, Reed, Derek and Dave," he smiled. "You're mine," he said, crocking an index finger at them. "And you gentlemen have work to do."

Fran and Sandy, knowing what was coming, smiled at each other. "I think this is time where I go in and make the frosting for my cake," Fran smiled.

The both of them had been filled in by Abbey about making the ice cream. "Do you mind a little help?" Sandy shyly smiled.

"Not at all." The two of them smiled at each other and started towards the kitchen. Abbey stopped them.

"I've got everything out for you, and Fran, you know where the mixing cups are." They both smiled at Abbey as they went inside.

Morgan and Reed got out of the pool as Matt went into the garage. He came back out with the ice cream churning bucket and set it on the side steps of the deck area. Mac, knowing the process, followed him out with Beth's mixture in the cylinder. The Taylor brothers got it all set up with the groove on the top and the handle on hanging over the side. Mac added the ice as Matt gently added salt as Mac added more ice into the well around the cylinder, finally getting it to the top. Matt smiled at Dave. "You get the first turn old man."

"Hey you, I remember this process as well. But damn Matt, where the hell did you get the old fashioned set up?"

"Abbey found it on eBay." Dave grabbed the handle and started the gentle cranking. Mac and Matt looked at each other. Dave wasn't bullshitting them. He obviously had done this more than once.

Henry looked at Hotch. "What's Uncle Dave doing Uncle Aaron?"

"He's starting to get the homemade ice cream done."

Henry's eyes light up as he asked "Homemade ice cream?"

Aaron smiled. "Yes, homemade."

Will smiled. "You wanna go watch buddy?"

"Can I daddy?"

"I'm sure Uncle Matt and Uncle Dave won't mind." Those younger than Matt gathered around to watch the process, as Mac, Matt, Dave and Reed took turns turning the crank.

"This is just way too cool," Penelope intoned.

"Actually, the process is quite easy. It just involves…." Morgan shot Reid a look.

"Doc, we don't need a dissertation on the process. Just grab a turn on that handle," Morgan smiled.

"Our family used to do this at my grandparents' house on the Fourth when I was young. This brings back a lot of memories," JJ smiled.

"What about you Emily," Dave asked. "Any special memories of the Fourth?"

"Nope; just having to attend too many Fourth of July parties at various US embassies around the world." They soon wandered off to enjoy themselves, leaving Matt, Mac, Dave, Morgan and Reed at the task.

Morgan finally spoke up. "So when do I get my turn?" Matt had just taken over for Mac, who showed a bit a sweat on his brow. Matt looked at Mac and then Dave, who winked at him.

The three said in unison, "Now."

Morgan grabbed the handle and gave it one turn. "Oh very funny; I get my turn when it's getting hard as a rock."

"We thought you were the muscles of the outfit Derek," Matt teased.

After a couple of minutes, Mac elbowed Matt. "Give the kid a break and get it into the freezer." Matt went to the garage to get an old towel, while Mac removed the handle and top. Matt pulled the cylinder out using the towel and Mac wiped the outside with the rest of the towel.

When Matt returned from the garage, he looked at the guys. "Now it's serious beer drinking time."

###

**A/N: Holy character overload! I'm dizzy. And yet, I'm going to try and do it again next chapter. However, thanks peeps for the reviews and story alerts. I write for me. When y'all enjoy it, it's just ice cream with **_**my**_** cake. Thank you all!**

**A/N2: My reference to HoneyWeiss and the Leinenkugel brewery is actual fact. And more than a little shout out for my home state. While Leine's is a regional beer, it is huge in these parts. Chippewa Falls is a little over an hour driving time from me. But you already knew all that didn't you hxchick ;)**


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: Remember the rating is T. And I told you the reason why.**

Chapter 8

It was a time of total relaxation around the deck of the Taylor home. Everyone enjoyed watching the kids in the pool, especially with the dads, Matt, Hotch and Will playing with the kids, as they enjoyed their drinks, the munchies Hotch and Beth brought and just being together.

Derek walked to the edge of the pool and looked at Colin. "Hey Col! I heard a rumor big dog that you can jump off the diving board now."

"I can Uncle Derek," he said, swimming to the pool ladder by the diving board. "Ya wanna see?"

"You bet big dog. Show me your stuff." Garcia and Emily shared smiles.

Henry looked at Matt. "Uncle Matt? Can I do that too?"

"You remember what Uncle Aaron and I told you about water?"

Henry bobbed his head. "You have to trust it and 'spect it."

"That's right; trust and respect," Matt smiled. "You watch Colin and then have Uncle Derek help you."

"OK Uncle Matt," Henry said, swimming to the ladder to follow Colin up to the pool apron.

By then Colin was on the diving board. "Watch this Uncle Derek!" Colin ran to the edge, using his little weight to get some spring off the board and went sailing into the pool feet first. His head bobbed up to the surface a few seconds later, with Matt and Hotch closely watching.

Reed, enjoying a HoneyWeiss that Mac had found, and Matt paid for, much to Mac's chagrin, sitting next to Abbey, asked in a whisper, "This team is really this close? The kids call all of them 'aunt' and 'uncle'? Stella and Mac sitting next to Reed just smiled. Dave, a few feet away on Abbey's left, heard the question and smiled as well.

"Yes Reed, we are. We deal with the worst. And the only thing that keeps us sane is each other; and the kids. That's the bond. We share the same nightmares," he said. Dave got out of his chair and walked to Reed.

"Kid, I may have been part of the group that started this unit. But I will tell you an absolute. They are the best, they've upped the game, and it's my honor to work with them." Abbey just smiled at Dave.

Reed looked at Rossi. "Can I quote you on that?"

"Damn straight kid," Dave said, waving his finger around the pool area. "Just do them right. Reed, you are very talented. I follow your blog as well." Dave walked off into the house.

Reed just shook his head. "He's the one that keeps their shit together, isn't he?" Abbey just smiled at him and rubbed his shoulder.

"That's why he's Uncle Dave and loved dearly."

By then, Henry had started his long walk across the diving board. Like his absolute bud Colin and fellow diehard fan of _Pirates of the Caribbean_, he felt like he was walking the plank. And then he heard Derek walking up behind him. "Henry, you can do this. What did Uncle Matt just tell you?"

"Trust and 'spect Uncle Derek."

Derek waved his hand at the pool. "And who's waiting for you?"

"Daddy, Uncle Matt and Uncle Aaron."

"That's right my man," Derek said, gently cupping Henry's chin in his hand and lifting it so that Henry would look him in the eye. "It's all trust my man. You can do this."

Henry looked Derek in the eye again, took a step back and then jumped off the board feet first, plugging his nose. When he floated to the surface on his own, Will grabbed him. "I'm proud of you son."

Henry beamed at him. "I'm proud of me Daddy," he shouted. JJ and her mother shared a hand squeeze. Dave reappeared a few seconds later in his swimsuit, and climbed onto the backend of the diving board. Matt quickly got all the kids away from his landing area.

This was just in time as David Rossi, nearly 60, executed a perfect "jackknife" dive into the pool. As he floated to the surface, Matt looked at Abbey and winked. While all the kids shared a look in awe, there was only one that was going to be there to greet him when he reached the surface.

Smiling, Casee latched onto Dave with a hug. "That was really cool Uncle Dave."

"Thanks sweetheart," he said, matching her hug and kissing her cheek. "But you know what Case? There's someone around here that's even better."

Casee looked him. "Really Uncle Dave?"

"Yup," he smiled. "Someone that was a three time letter winner on the diving team at the US Naval Academy."

Mac looked at Abbey and smiled. "Think that will stroke his ego enough?" he whispered.

As Abbey raised her hand to wave at the crowd around the pool, the taunts already started. Abbey winked at Mac.

"Really Cob?" Morgan asked with a broad smile, standing on the pool edge. "You've been holding out on us man."

"No kidding Cob?" Emily added.

JJ joined the chorus. "Come on Matt; show us."

Doc piped up. "Given Cob's age, and his war injury, a one and a half forward twist would do the trick."

"Come on big dog; show us you stuff," Penelope egged.

Matt looked at Hotch. Hotch shrugged. "You know I always listen to Dave. And Doc."

Matt scowled at his partner, but couldn't resist the opportunity. "Until Doc starts rambling."

"He's Doc; that's a given," Hotch smiled. Reid just looked at Hotch, which he noticed but ignored. Hotch smiled. "You still haven't stepped up to the plate." Matt swam to the pool ladder Colin and Henry had used, got out of the pool and stepped onto the back end of the diving board. Without hesitation, he perfectly met the other end of the spring board and executed the dive Reid called him out on.

Yet, he spent some more time than needed at the bottom of the pool before he bobbed to the surface. "You OK," Hotch worriedly asked.

Matt gave him the full Irish grin. "I'm fine. It's just that I'm not wearing my usual diving Speedo. I didn't want to show everyone, as Garcia and Morgan say, all my 'stuff'. I like to keep that for my wife, if all of you don't mind." The pool area erupted with laughter.

Penelope piped up. "Oh, I could make a really bad comment right now."

Hotch and Abbey both looked at her. "Don't," they both emphatically said in unison. Garcia just giggled and blushed a bit while everyone around the pool got her point and laughed more.

Dave swam by, looked at Matt and whispered, "How bad?"

"My trucks were down around my damn knees." Dave and Hotch roared as each of the kids swam by Matt to give him a high five. Of course, Case gave her dad a big hug.

Casee swan to edge of the pool and batted the baby blues at Mac, getting him and Reed back in the pool with the kids. Abbey, Stella, Beth, JJ, Reid and Emily joined the festivities, allowing Matt and Hotch to get the grill going.

After they got the charcoal going, the two of them walked into the garage to grab a beer. Hotch looked at Matt. "How's Reed fitting into the family?"

"He's really settled in. The kids love him and I think he just likes being around a family. The people that adopted him have lots of money but I get the sense, that while they love him dearly, they aren't the type to do a lot of family things together. He said summer vacations were spent in Europe or Asia. I think that's why he's become so close to Mac and Stella. Even with their schedules, they make time for him, even if it's just getting together for a quick meal someplace." Hotch just smiled and rubbed Matt's shoulder.

"He's sure absorbing his time around DC. But the big thing on his list is the Holocaust Museum. And Abbey and I have never been there either. But that's not a place you take three kids to."

Hotch looked at Matt. "Why don't you just come out and ask."

Matt smiled. "You, Beth and Jack could come up here."

Hotch smiled. "Just let us know. Beth is off the rest of the week. We'd love to. And I think I owe – big time."

As they walked back onto the deck, Matt looked at Hotch. "Thanks partner."

"Any time part." They walked out to a pool that was literally a beehive. Yet, by the sounds of the laughter, a very happy beehive.

Matt and Hotch spied Fran and Sandy sitting together in the shade, and slid in on the other side of the picnic table and sat down. Matt, getting in last, looked at their wine glasses. "You two need a refill?"

"I'm fine Matt," Sandy said.

"So am I," Fran added. "Besides I got the warning from my son. 'You may have to drive home tonight mom'."

Looking at Fran, Sandy added, "Gee I sorta got the same heads up. What do you do around here Matt?"

"He and Abbey give us a place to be together and relax," Hotch said.

"Which you need," Fran smiled. "All of you. Derek always tells me about when he's here," she smiled.

"And Matt, I can't thank you enough," Sandy said.

"For what?"

"When Jennifer said she was going back to the team as a profiler," she dipped her head, and then looked at the two of them, "I'm a mom. I worry. But Matt, I know you take care of this team, even at the expense of your own life. And with this gathering, I now understand what you do. And Aaron, your leadership is one of things Jennifer listed to me why she wanted to come back. 'Mom, I know him and trust him. Both he and Matt'."

"She earned the shot," Hotch said. "With the job she did before, I knew she could step in quickly and fill an empty spot that we needed filled ASAP. Sandy, I know it's a tough job. But JJ is tougher than you think."

"Your daughter Sandy, as Derek calls her, Pennsylvania Petite, can handle herself in the field, thanks to Morgan. And Hotch and I will do our best from there." Matt looked at Fran. "For all of them; that's why they deserve this time."

The two mothers reached across the picnic table to grip the hands of the Agents in charge of the BAU and just smiled. Just then, Morgan gave a whistle from the pool.

"That convo looks just way to serious."

Matt smiled devilishly at Hotch and then winked at Fran. "You in?" he whispered to Fran. Fran just smiled.

"I was just explaining to your mother," Matt said, "about getting her own little ones in her life."

Hotch gave Morgan his glare. "It starts with you getting a woman in your life," then adding his big smile, which the team was seeing more and more of. Fran just pointed at him. Derek Morgan received the worse ration of shit he had in quite a while from the team, as Matt and Hotch rose from the picnic table and shared a large high five.

Above the din, Morgan looked at the two of them. "Pay backs are a …." Abbey just looked at him. "You two know what I was going to say."

Matt smiled at him. "Bring it." He and Hotch clinked their long neck beers together and walked over to check the grill.

"Abbey," Matt said, looking at the clock in the pool area, "we're on schedule."

Abbey looked at Stella. "Ya just gotta love a military planner mind." Matt and Hotch pulled on t-shirts to start the cooking.

Stella just laughed. "I'll help you." The two of them climbed out of the pool and grabbed towels to dry off. Fran and Sandy moved to help them in the kitchen.

JJ swam to the deep end and whistled at Matt. "Do they need help?"

Matt shook his head. "With your mom and Fran in there, I think they're good. And you know Abbey; she'll let you know if she does."

While the four ladies inside discussed their game plan with the food, Matt and Hotch grabbed the burgers and started grilling. Kevin ambled over. "You haven't started the turkey burgers?"

"Kevin, they're pretty thin and my way of grilling is not to cook the snot out of everything. If you and Penelope like them more done let me know, but they don't go on right now either way. Dave didn't skimp on the burgers," Matt said.

"I'm sure special order," Hotch smiled. Matt smiled at Kevin and rolled his eyes at Hotch.

"No shit."

Mac rolled out of the pool, grabbed a towel and dried off, walked into the garage and grabbed a beer. He can back to join Matt and Hotch. "Need help guys?"

"I think we're good," Hotch said as he moved a couple burgers away from a hot spot. Mac pulled on a t-shirt of his own.

"This means bro you can supervise; but I've heard a nasty rumor you suck at that."

Hotch looked at Mac. "The joys of being big brother; always take the younger brother's crap," he smiled.

Mac looked at Aaron. "I meant to tell you. Stella, Reed, and I ate at Sean's place last week. It was great food with great service and very reasonably priced. He's got a helluva business going there."

Aaron smiled. "We email back and forth. I've noticed he isn't stressing as much as he did."

"Hotch, he invested his life and soul into that place he bought. Shit, I would stress too," Matt said.

"His biggest worry is his silent investor that backed him with the bank after his original loan application was turned down. He doesn't want to let that person down," Hotch smiled.

"Gee, let me guess who that was," Matt said, looking in the pool at Rossi. Mac laughed at well.

"Aaron, from what we seen last week, he'll be paying off Dave by the end of the year. He's got a damn good thing going. And a staff that has total buy in on his idea of customer service. They're earning a big reputation in a hurry. And the food is absolutely fantastic." Hotch just smiled broadly at the review.

Matt eyed Mac. "See; younger brothers aren't always fuck ups," he smiled broadly.

"I've never called you a fuck up," Mac retorted.

"Nope, you haven't. But you rub the younger brother shit under my nose every chance you get."

Hotch smiled. "The joys of being the older brother," he said as he winked at Mac.

Matt looked at the two of them. "You two do know that you can be assholes?"

Mac and Hotch smiled and said together, "That's part of being big brothers." Matt just shook his head and started flipping burgers.

"Well big brother, even though Dave didn't skimp on the burgers, we're moving along here. Can you grab Garcia's turkey burgers and then get the package of hot dogs from Abbey?"

Mac rubbed his shoulder. "You got it bro," he smiled. He returned with the turkey burgers and two more beers for the cooks. "I noticed you two were getting low," he smiled, uncapping his own beer.

"Damn, big brother, you do have one redeeming quality," Matt smiled, as he chugged the last of his open beer, and uncapped the new one. Hotch did the same, grabbing the two empties, walked into the garage and threw them in the recycling bin. Matt added the turkey burgers while Mac went into the house to get the hot dogs.

Matt whistled at the crowd around the deck and in the pool. "We're less than ten minutes from eating." JJ, Will and Emily, along with Beth, took over the crowd in the pool.

But it was David Rossi that got them all moving. "Everybody out!" Morgan smiled and helped the three ladies get the kids herded out. Dave and Reed got the three Taylor kids dried off, while Beth took care of Jack.

Stella came out with a platter, as Mac smiled at her. She handed it to him. "You do know what goes on there?"

"I think I can figure it out Stell," he smiled. She smiled back at him and went back inside.

Hotch looked at Mac. "You are a dumb shit."

Mac looked at Hotch. "Excuse me."

"If I was you, she'd be wearing a wedding ring by now. Screw those damn NYPD rules. There's ways to get around anything. If you need a lawyer, I can recommend at least four."

Mac shook his head. "You hang around my kid brother too much."

The three men took another swig of their beers and then got down to business. JJ, Beth, and Reed got the kids inside to get their hands washed. Garcia and Emily went in as well, to help Abbey and Stella. Morgan, Will, Kevin and Reid hung around with the chef crew. Matt looked at the four of them. "No comments from the peanut gallery," he lovingly growled.

Morgan raised his hands in the air. "You are the Weber master Cob. We're just observing." Matt and Hotch did some last minute moving of the hot dogs and then looked at Mac. He held the platter while they loaded it up, and Mac took it into the house, with Doc opening the sliding door for him.

"Abbey, where do you want this?" Stella pointed to an open spot on the kitchen island, where all the rest of the bounty of food was set out. Mac set the platter down, while the other three kibitzers moved inside, followed by Hotch. Matt shut down the Weber and headed in as well.

As the group gathered around, the doorbell rang. Matt walked into the foyer and waved in the guest that was peering in through the window at the side of door.

"I hope I'm not too late. I just finished my case paperwork."

Matt gave Ashley Seaver a hug. "You're right on time. We're just about ready to eat. And congratulations on bringing another big case home," he said, draping his arm around her shoulder. "You're doing a great job," he proudly smiled at her, escorting her into the kitchen.

The BAU team almost attacked Ashley, welcoming her. Everyone took turns introducing Ashley to their family members. When that was done, Colin tugged at his dad's swimming trunks. "Dad, I'm hungry."

"Me too, Uncle Matt," Henry seconded.

Matt looked at the boys and smiled at them. "Well, you know the drill around here. It's business first before we eat."

Dave loudly cleared his throat getting everyone's attention. The three Taylor kids, along with Jack, lead one prayer for the food, as Henry added his, with Uncle Dave's help.

The group dived into the bounty. The kids sat around the dining table, laughing and giggling as they ate heartily, their exercise in the pool showing in their appetites. The adults loaded up their plates as well, spreading out around the pool area. Reed looked at Abbey, JJ and Beth. "I've got the kids. Go enjoy."

###

**A/N: To my international CM readers that follow my stories, I think you know what a Weber is. For any newcomers, it is a brand name of a charcoal grill used here in the States (for outside cooking). One of the best darn things invented. If you get to know how to use it, you can grill anything to absolute perfection.**


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: I've fiddled a little with CM canon in this chapter. Writer's privilege.**

Chapter 9

The kids snuggled into the living room to watch _Robots_, with Wilma and Mudgie. After the leftovers were stored, and the kitchen cleaned (and with Abbey's crew, that took about fifteen minutes), the adults retired to the pool area to sit around and chat. Dave sat with a scotch, firmly in hand. Matt and Hotch enjoyed another beer. Aaron nudged Matt with his elbow. "He knows where your scotch bottle is too?"

"Ya think? And he just makes himself right at home," Matt said, winking at Hotch. The rest around the pool laughed.

Dave looked at his protégés, and smiled at them with pride. "Where in the hell do the two of you put a beer after the way you just ate," Dave wondered. The two of them, along with Derek, were notorious among the team of being big eaters, yet never seeming to gain an ounce.

"It slides down through the cracks," Matt and Mac said at the same time. Matt pointed at Mac.

Reed smiled. "Dad or Da?"

"Da," Mac smiled. "The man was a true Irishman."

"Reed his favorite cow to milk was Betsy," Matt explained. "And there were many iterations of Betsy over the years. But bottom line, she was always the third to last cow to be milked."

Mac took up the story. "Da had a fridge in the milk house. After he got Betsy hooked up to the milking machine, he'd go into the milk house and grab a beer. By the time he got the last three milked and all of them fed, he had polished off four. Then one with dinner, and one after."

Matt laughed. "He always thought he was fooling Grandma that he only had two."

Mac laughed louder. "Fat chance on that." Matt just shook his head and laughed as well.

Reed looked at the two of them. "What happened to the farm?"

"Da came in one morning after milking the cows, doing the chores and gathering the eggs," Mac started. "He sat down in his chair for breakfast and had a fatal heart attack."

"I was in my fall semester, my plebe, or first year at the Academy," Matt said. "Your dad was oversees with the Marines."

"Grandma obviously couldn't handle the place," Mac continued. "Our dad and his brothers had made their own lives away from the farm. So they decided to sell everything. That was the last Thanksgiving we had there. Grandma moved to town into a Senior Housing project, shortly after that. She died in January of the next year."

Matt softly smiled. "The two of them could fight like cats and dogs. Good Irish they both were. But in the end, I think she just missed someone and wanted to be with him." All around the pool smiled at that.

Ashley looked at Matt. "You knew that farm?"

"Ash, I grew up and became a man on that farm." He recounted to the team the story he had told earlier in the week to Reed, Hotch and Dave, with Mac adding his own memories.

That got the group around the pool sharing memories of grandparents and holidays. Dave, being Italian, shared the most entertaining. Yet Reed, with his trained journalistic eye, watched a team just totally relax, very comfortable with each other.

As the memory fest was ending, Jack came out the sliding glass door and slid up to Matt, tugging on his t-shirt sleeve. "Uncle Matt," he whispered, "is it time?"

"How come they sent you?" Matt asked as he winked at Stella. She beamed.

"'Cause I'm the oldest," Jack answered honestly.

Matt looked at the boy he loved like his own sons, then his watch and showed it to him. "You tell me Jack. You kids got done eating at six. And since the way you all ate, you have to wait an hour before you can get back into the pool."

Jack looked at Matt's watch, with the hands, not digital, and raced to door. Before he got it shut, he was shouting. "Hey guys! It's time!" Hotch and Beth smiled proudly.

Within ten minutes, five kids were standing by the side of the pool. Since it was later in the evening, they didn't need sunscreen. They counted together. "One. Two. Three!" And they did a group cannonball into the pool sending up a huge splash.

Garcia, who had whipped out her camera when the kids came out, smiled brightly at the entire group. "Got it." Derek piled in with them and to their delight, so did Doc. Reed and Ashley joined them.

While they were all frolicking, Matt went into the garage and pulled the container of ice cream out of the freezer and took it into the house so it would soften a bit so they could serve it. Matt let them play for a while and then got out of his chair and went to the pool apron. "OK kids, it's time for baths." The kids responded with groans and moans. "If you want to stay in longer, that's fine. But then its bath time and then bedtime, which means no homemade ice cream."

Jack and Cam looked at each other. "That's enough for me," Jack smiled.

"Me too," Cam said as they high fived.

Colin was already climbing out of the pool. He looked at Hotch. "I'm not waiting for those guys."

"Wait for me Colin," Henry shouted.

As Matt turned from the pool, Mac looked at him. "FBI hostage negotiation tactics?"

Matt smiled. "And I learned from the best," he said, pointing at Dave.

Dave looked at him. "You use that to deal with kids?" Matt just pointed at the kids getting out of the pool.

Hotch looked at him. "Time to re-write the book old man." Dave just glared at him as Hotch, Matt and Mac laughed.

Stella looked at Abbey. "You spend some mother/daughter time. JJ and I will take care of the boys in you and Matt's tub." JJ smiled her acceptance of the deal.

"I'll help," Beth offered.

JJ smiled at her. "You're in." They helped get the boys in the house.

Abbey held out her hand to Casee. "Let's go," she smiled at her daughter.

As the kids were leaving, Emily looked at Matt. "The kids don't take a bath together anymore?"

Matt shook his head, smiling. "For over a year now."

Emily gave Matt her devilish smile. "It was Colin that noticed the difference wasn't it?" Matt just pointed to his nose as the rest laughed. Matt shook his head thinking about his youngest son.

A half hour later, the whole group was in the kitchen waiting their turn to get a piece of Fran's chocolate cake and the delicious goodness that was coming out of the tin canister. After Matt got some off the top to get the kids going, he and Mac were able to pull the paddle out, with ice cream still around the blades. Mac set it in a cake pan that Abbey had waiting. "Who gets that?" Mac asked.

Abbey said, "Just watch," as two dogs stood patiently by the rug going into the formal dining room. As she neared the rug, two tails wagged furiously. Mac just laughed as Abbey set the pan down for them. Ten minutes later, the dogs had the pan pushed across the entire dining room floor trying to get every morsel of the dairy delight.

Henry shoveled in his first spoonful of ice cream. "How is it buddy?" JJ asked. Henry just smiled at her and took another bite.

Reid, Garcia and Kevin took their first taste. "O.M.G." is all Kevin got out before he dived in for another bite.

"I'm surprised by the consistency," Doc noted. "I expected it to less dense."

Matt winked at Reed. "Translation: he expected it to be runnier." Reed gave him thumbs up for the explanation. "That's why they invented freezers Doc." Emily elbowed Reid as she took her own bite.

"Oh lordy have mercy," Derek said after his first bite.

"We sure didn't have anything like this down on the bayou," Will drawled.

JJ looked at her mother. "Just like at grandma and grandpa's." Sandy smiled.

"And Fran, this cake tastes just like grandma's," Mac complimented.

"It sure does," Matt added.

Ashley looked at Fran. "Is the icing homemade as well?"

"Yes, it is. I just followed Grandma Taylor's recipe: milk, butter, sugar and chocolate chips."

When the kids finished, they went into the great room to watch the rest of the movie, while the adults milled around the kitchen or went to sit in the screened in porch. The mosquitoes had taken over the pool area for the night. Aaron, Matt, Mac, and Morgan joined Dave in enjoying a bit of scotch.

Will joined them, but added a splash of club soda that Abbey found and some ice cubes. "Sorry big dogs," he drawled, "but this is how I was raised to enjoy good liquor." Dave just smiled and raised his glass in a salute as the guys sat or stood around the kitchen island. Kevin, Doc and Reed went with the Bailey's that Ashley brought.

Abbey, Stella, Emily, JJ, Garcia and Ashley also shared the Bailey's. Fran and Sandy enjoyed their cups of coffee, with a touch of Bailey's Matt coaxed them into.

Morgan gave Matt a ration of shit about not having a pool table. "You've got that sweet home theater downstairs and you couldn't find room in the re-model for a pool table?"

"Sorry Derek, not on my priority list. My wife and I have three kids to get into college. Someday, maybe, you'll understand that. And make your mom happy."

Dr. Reid smiled at Morgan. "You do know you are cornered with no way out. It's called 'checkmate'."

Morgan scowled at him. "Thanks Doc."

The party didn't break up until almost ten when the two youngest boys could hardly keep their eyes open any more, with Henry climbing into Sandy's lap to go lights out. Beth drove to get the Hotchner boys and Dave home.

###


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: I know it's not Saturday here in the States, but I thought I'd put this out a little early considering my work shift tonight. Enjoy! And thanks for all of the reviews, favs, etc!**

Chapter 10

Thursday morning after a breakfast of the last of fruit salad from the night before, some cereal and muffins, the family loaded up into Abbey's vehicle and headed for the National Zoo. Reed sat on the floor between the seats that Mac and Stella occupied. "Is this legal?" Reed asked as he climbed in.

Matt pulled out his Bureau credentials and smiled. "It is now."

They spent the morning wondering around seeing the animals, especially the pandas, which were the kids' favorite, along with the big cats and the new elephant exhibit. The kids also got to see the seal and dolphin show for the first time, which was a major hit with them. Yet, they left by 12:30, Matt wanting to get home and get the lawn mowed before the forecasted rain started to fall later that night. Given the big day they had yesterday, the kids didn't argue. The morning walking around had tired them out, with Colin spending the later part on Matt or Mac's shoulders. As Matt pulled the vehicle off Constitution Avenue and got on I-95, the three of them were visiting the Sandman. Stella snuck a peek at the three of them sleeping in the back and smiled at Mac.

When they got home, the kids, with their 30 minute power nap seemed charged a bit while they ate lunch. But full bellies quickly dispelled that and Abbey and Stella put them down upstairs for nap without much protest. As they guys stood in the garage, about to make a game plan, the two women walked out.

"Our afternoon is laundry day," Stella smiled. "And Reed, don't be shy."

"Reed, you don't want to know how many boxers and little briefs I fold in a week," Abbey smiled. "And that's just starters. Raquel does not do laundry. She's got enough to do. That's on us. But I have to give Matt credit. He knows how to run the laundry room when he's home and he irons his own dress shirts."

Matt smiled at his wife. "Marine training; I'm good to go. You've got all my dirty stuff."

The two NYC males looked at him. Matt smiled. "I've been trained well."

"You've not heard of a dry cleaning service?" Reed asked.

Matt looked at him. "This is cheaper."

Mac and Reed went inside to gather their dirty laundry, while Matt gassed up what would be needed to take care of the lawn. A lawn, Mac had noticed from day one seeing his brother and sister's new home that was meticulously taken care off.

Mac and Reed re-joined Matt in the garage. "You old man," Matt said looking at Mac with his devilish Irish smile, "can ride. I'll trim with push mower. Reed, do you mind doing the weed whipping?"

Reed just stared at him. "Uncle Matt, I'm a NYC kid with parents with money. I know nothing about taking care of a lawn." Mac fired up the riding lawn mower and pulled out of the garage, pointing at his brother with a smile.

"First off, where are your shades?"

"My what?"

"Your sunglasses Reed; the job I'm giving you can throw grass and a few other things up. You don't need safety glasses, but god bless OSHA, you do need your eyes protected." Reed pulled his sunglasses off the top of his head.

Matt rubbed his shoulder. "That ends my OSHA compliance because I've already lost part of my hearing. They say you need ear protection. I say they passed stupid; you don't need ear protection for your job." Matt showed Reed how to operate the weed whip and how he wanted him to trim around the areas that neither he, with the push mower, or Mac on the rider could not get to.

Reed, now understanding his job, looked around the lawn at how well Matt kept it up and just shook his head. Along with Abbey's flowers; the home, with its lawn and flowers just bellowed to visitor. "Welcome home." _My god, my uncle chances monsters, and yet he wants this lawn to look that good? When the hell does he find the time?_ Reed just shook his head as he dived in following Matt around to give the lawn its precision Marine groomed state.

As they finished, and each walked into the house with beers in hand, Matt looked at Abbey. "Dinner is?" he questioned.

Abbey smiled at him. "Kids choice: tacos." Matt looked around to see his merry band of children, wide awake and ready to rumble, coloring pictures at the nook table.

"I can live with that," Matt smiled. Case smiled at her dad.

Reed smiled at Abbey. "I know Matt's stomach, but tell me you're gonna do more fixings than what he can handle." Abbey smiled at him, dicing on onion.

Stella pointed at the jalapenos she was cutting. "Work for you, Mr. Spice?" she smiled.

Reed walked around the kitchen island the two ladies were working on and gave Stella a kiss and looked her in the eye. "You bet," he smiled.

Reed looked at her. Stella took a sniff of the air the two were sharing. "You know I love you right?" Reed nodded. "You need a shower…." As the predicted storm front approached, the temperature and humidity had risen. Abbey and Stella just smiled at each other

As Matt walked away from giving Abbey a kiss, he added, "He's not the only one."

Mac looked at Stella. "Yes, I had the easy job, but I'm heading as well."

The three guys, with beers in hand, went to find their nearest shower options after the work they had put in.

-00CM00-

While the weather front did move through, it did not provide the fireworks that woke Matt a couple nights before. But it did provide some needed rain that lingered into Friday morning. Matt and Abbey, knowing where Reed really wanted to go in the DC area, had banked on it, per Matt's suggestion. As they rolled out of bed, Abbey looked at her husband. "I really don't want to play poker with you, do I?"

Matt pulled her into a strong embrace and then lovingly kissed her. "Nope, babe, you don't." They shared a smile, with Matt moving into the shower and Abbey going downstairs to get the coffee started. She scooted back upstairs to take her own shower as Matt stood in front of mirror, shaving around his goatee that matched his lawn – perfectly groomed.

The kids, finally catching up on their sleep from the day they had on the Fourth, plus the visit to the zoo, piled in on their bed. Colin, of course, was bouncing up and down on the mattress. He got to the third one before his dad, still with shaving cream on his face, pulled him into reality off the bed and added the simple words, "Really Col?"

The twins giggled, as Colin said, "Sowry dad." Matt planted him back on the bed.

"You stay there," he warned with a smile. Colin smiled his acceptance at him. Matt turned the TV on in him and Abbey's bedroom to some cartoons. Matt was only in his boxers.

"Dad?" Cam asked.

"Yeah, son?"

"When can I wear boxers like you?"

Abbey walking out of the bathroom, dressed in her robe, looked at Matt. _Have fun with that one dad_, she smiled as she moved to get her clothes.

"Boxers are for really big guys' son. But you'll get there soon enough." He gave his oldest son a kiss. "And sooner than you, or your mom and I want to think about," he said, smiling at Cam, wiping some shaving cream on his nose. The kids laughed and the boys followed Matt into the bathroom to watch him finish shaving, as Matt completed the trio, putting Case up on the bathroom counter as well, for her to watch Abbey putting on only the touch of make-up she needed. He put Colin on the counter as well, while Cam stood next to him, mimicking Matt's movements finishing shaving. The two parents smiled at the special time they enjoyed with their children.

Matt looked at Cam. "Where's Wilma?" Wilma barked at the mention of her name, standing in the doorway of the bathroom. He looked at his two oldest children. "You two don't have a job every morning?"

The twins smiled at him and Matt rinsed off his face as Case jumped off the bathroom countertop. The three of them thundered down the steps as Abbey smiled at Matt, pulling Colin off the bathroom counter, into a hug, looking deeply in his eyes. "Don't even think about asking dad and I about your boxers."

He looked deeply into his mother's eyes. "How come I'm the little guy?" Abbey and Matt both laughed, as Abbey kissed his cheek.

"Son, mom and I just made you after the twinners," Matt smiled, giving his youngest son a kiss. "But you know what bud," Matt grinned, pulling Colin out of Abbey's arms. "You get to pick breakfast this morning."

"That's easy dad," Colin beamed. "Pancakes and sausages."

"Col, we just had them earlier in the week."

"I know mom; but they're my favorite; and mom, dad asked." Abbey smiled at Matt.

"Guess the breakfast menu is set," she said, giving Matt a kiss and Colin as well. Matt put him on the floor.

"Think you can get Uncle Mac and Aunt Stella up?" Matt gave his youngest son the big Irish smile.

Colin matched his dad's smile. "Done dad," he boasted. Colin waited for his parents to get some clothes on, his dad pulling on a pair of shorts and t-shirt as Matt tossed him back on the bed with Colin giggling. Abbey went into the bathroom to quickly change, with a son that already asked too many questions around. The three of them went downstairs, with Colin proceeding to Mac and Stella's bedroom downstairs to roust them out. Cam was letting Wilma in as Casee was getting the food in her bowl.

"Casee, did you give her some fresh water?" Abbey asked, pulling the pancake mix out of the pantry.

"Got it mom." Matt walked by her going into the kitchen after getting the paper and rubbed her chin.

"Thanks Case." She gave her dad her angelic smile. He smiled back as he pulled out a skillet to start the sausages. Reed pulled into the kitchen.

"Do I have time to take a shower?"

Abbey smiled at him. "Go for it; use ours." Within twenty minutes the group was assembled around the nook table. After saying grace, they dived in, with Matt on pancake patrol as Abbey got the kids going.

"So what's on the agenda today?" Reed asked, shoving a bite of pancake in his mouth.

Abbey looked at him. "The Holocaust Museum and Arlington." Reed's eyes lit up like a Christmas tree.

Mac looked at her. "And the kids?"

"Aaron and Beth are bringing Jack over and they're gonna watch the kids. I'm sure Beth will keep them entertained until the sun comes out." The kids beamed at the idea.

"I know," Stella smiled. "I talked with her on the Fourth. I'm sure she'll have lots of artsy things to do for the kids.

Mac looked at her. "Artsy?"

Stella smiled at him. "She's an art museum curator." Mac just nodded his understanding.

Reed, at his insistence, finished cleaning up the kitchen, with a little help from Stella. Hotch, Beth and Jack blew in. If the Taylor house wasn't busy enough with three kids and a dog, the fourth kid made it official.

Matt looked at Beth with a wicked smile. "Have fun."

Beth eyed him back. "I can handle this. Plus I've got my back up," she thumbed at Hotch.

Matt kissed her cheek. "I know you can. And please make yourself at home. But Beth," he said leaning into her right ear, "you're back up sucks. And he has no imagination what so ever," he whispered, just loud enough for Hotch to hear.

Hotch looked at him and growled, "Get your ass out of here before I kick it."

Matt smirked at him. "Want to put money on that?" They looked at each other and enjoyed a laugh. Less than ten minutes later the five were on the road to the Metro.

-00CM00-

At half past three, Matt, Abbey, Mac, Stella and Reed walked out onto the deck to see the four kids in the pool. By one that afternoon, the skies had cleared, bringing at beautiful day to the DC area, with very manageable July temps. Hotch and Beth were in the pool with the kids. Matt looked around. "Where's the Italian Stallion? Figured he would be here as well?"

Hotch shook his head. "We sorta figured the same. Who knows with him." He looked at Matt. "How was it?"

It was Matt's turn to shake his head. "Unbelievable. You've been to the Holocaust Museum?"

Hotch smiled. "Haley and I went one day when she was pregnant with Jack." He shook his head. Beth nodded her assessment.

Reed looked at Hotch and Beth. "That was truly a moving and humbling experience. And to know that grandpa helped liberate Buchenwald, just made it that more special. And Arlington, with two military men…" He just shook his head and walked into the house.

###

**A/N: To those of you that do not know the Holocaust Museum in DC. When you enter, you are issued an ID card that gives you the identity of a person that faced the Holocaust. As you move through the museum, you put your card into a reader, finding out if that person, and you, perished in the Holocaust or survived. Its four hours of goose bumps that makes it very real. And Arlington National Cemetery, well, is just Arlington. Two "must see" if you ever have the chance to get to Washington, DC.**


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Matt and Mac were up, finishing their breakfast when Abbey and the kids came in. Stella was about thirty seconds behind them. Reed rolled in about five minutes later as the guys put their coffee cups and plates from the scrambled eggs, bacon and toast the brothers had made together. "What's up," Reed asked.

"Mac and I are golfing with Hotch and Dave."

"I'm already sleeping on the pullout in your den," Reed teased.

"Not that kind of day, Reed; one beer and home." Mac looked at him. "OK, maybe two," Matt smiled. Abbey eyed him. "Promise babe." She smiled. "So what's the plan around here?"

Abbey shrugged. "I think we'll just play it by ear."

"I'd be happy to just relax and lay around," Stella said. "Enjoy the pool and the day with the kids." Three young faces lit up at that prospect.

Reed looked at Matt and Abbey. "Mind if I go back to the Mall and snoop around the east end. There are a couple buildings of the Smithsonian I'd like to check out and I'd really like to see the Declaration of Independence at the National Achieves."

"You can take my vehicle to get to the Metro," Abbey said.

Matt looked at Mac. "I think they can get along without us."

"Boom," Mac replied, as he pointed. They gave their ladies a kiss, said good-bye to the kids and Reed and headed for the door.

"Fore!" Matt said as they got near it.

Mac stopped. "What the…?"

Matt smiled broadly. "Just practicing for when you're in the tee box."

"You're starting already?"

"Starting bro?" Matt said, pulling the door open. "I'm just getting warmed up," he added, as he waved Mac out the door. Abbey and Stella standing in the kitchen smiled at each other and just shook their heads. They made the same breakfast as the guys for the rest of the group.

A half hour later, Matt pulled his truck into the parking lot of the Deer Valley Run Country Club. Mac looked around. "You feebs make too much money."

"Actually Mac, it's a public course, just a little more upscale. And Dave is the one with the membership. I work to put three kids in college and pay bills." They got out and moved to the back of the truck. As they were pulling out their golf bags, Hotch pulled in. He grabbed his clubs out of the back of his vehicle and joined the Taylor brothers. The three of them leaned against the tailgate of the truck while they put on their golf shoes.

Mac looked at the two of them. "Is Dave here?"

"Probably," Hotch said. "They have a restaurant. I'm sure Dave had breakfast here." They grabbed their golf bags and headed to the clubhouse. As they walked in, Dave was waiting for them.

He pointed out the door, towards the course. "Those are our carts. Let's go."

"Dave," Hotch said, "we have to pay."

Dave stared at him. "It's taken care of Aaron. Just get out there and shut your mouths." Matt looked Mac and just shook his head. Dave's golf bag was already in one of the carts, strapped into the backside on the right.

Hotch looked at him. "You, as usual, are driving." Hotch smiled and strapped his bag holding his clubs to the other side.

Mac started to put his golf clubs on the left side of the cart he and Matt would be sharing. Matt walked up to him. "Not a chance bro."

"I'm driving."

"No you're not. You drive a golf cart like an old woman. Golf carts are like rental cars. They are meant to be abused. Get your ass on the right side."

Hotch and Dave just laughed. Dave winked at Hotch. "I think we're going to have some fun." Aaron smiled. "Who's got Jack?"

"He and Beth are hanging out together," he smiled.

"Nice," Dave smiled back.

Hotch looked at him. "Don't start; please, just don't start."

Rossi just laughed. "You Taylor boys mounted up?"

"Yes mom," Matt snarked, climbing in to drive. Hotch did the same and they took off for the first tee. As they pulled up, they became quiet, respecting the foursome in front of them that were teeing off. Matt and Hotch pulled the golf carts to a stop, side by side.

Mac looked at Matt and the other two. "Now that I've got the three of you together," he whispered, "I've been meaning to ask you. That was one helluva of a case the team brought home at Ramstein. Care to share details?"

"Mac, it started with Jay. You remember him?" Mac nodded.

Hotch took up the story, still quietly talking. "Mac, if Matt hadn't got the heads up from Jay, the Air Force would still be reeling from dealing with the PR disaster."

Mac looked at Matt. "Jay knows where I work. He started sending me intel after the second murder. With that info, we were way ahead of the game, both dealing with the case and all of the politics. Jay put his ass on the line."

Dave leaned around Hotch. "Matt, have you heard about his promotion board?" he whispered.

Matt smiled broadly. "Got his one star and a base of his own."

Mac looked at his brother. "Mac, Jay was up on the promotion board with the Air Force. If they found out he was my source…"

"That would have screwed his promotion into the ground," Mac whispered, and then smiled. "What base did he get?"

The foursome in front of them climbed into their carts and moved down the fairway. Matt and Aaron pulled theirs up on the cart path next to the tee box. "Mac," Matt smiled broadly. "He got Lackland in Texas." He climbed out of the cart and started doing some stretching.

Hotch, climbing out of the cart, looked at Matt. "Care to translate for the non-military."

"Hotch, Lackland is the Air Force's recruit training center," Matt said, doing some twists to get his muscles loosened around his rib cage. "It's not a big air wing, but still a helluva a plum assignment for someone just getting his one star." Hotch and Dave, meeting at the end of the golf cart just smiled.

"But still," Mac probed. "How did you break the case?"

Hotch looked at him, pulling out his driver, which he pulled over his head, grabbed onto with both hands and joined Matt in loosening up. "Your little brother knowing about halo flights."

Mac just smiled. "Got it." He looked at Matt.

"Too much damn experience bro." Matt paused, pointing at Dave. "I mean him. I had a theory, at best. The big dog backed it." Mac smiled more.

Dave moved over to Mac and rubbed his shoulder. "Don't let him bullshit you. He's as strong a profiler as the rest of the team, and that case was like a fastball in his hitting zone. He blew it out of the park." Hotch just smiled and nodded his assent. Mac smiled his pride at Matt.

As the foursome moved up to the tee box, Matt and Dave shared a fist bump. Mac and Dave joined the other two in getting stretched out as the foursome in front of them stopped to take their second shot.

"So, how are we playing this today?" Dave asked in the typical Rossi style, looking for a bit of a money game.

Mac looked at him. "Dave, I've golfed exactly once this year. Let's just play and have some laughs." Dave smiled and just nodded his head. Matt and Aaron smiled at each other.

While Mac's game showed the rust he admitted to, he was able to hang with the big dogs. Dave's golf skills were just above Mac's. The BAU partners, Matt and Hotch, knew their way around a golf course; and had the skills to match.

As they pulled up to the fifth hole tee box, a tricky par 3, with trees all around, Dave pulled out a cigar and lit it. Hotch looked at him. "Pre-Cuban embargo and legal." Matt salivated. Dave pulled another out and handed it to him. "Just share," he smiled, looking at Mac. The brothers just looked at each other, while Hotch sadly shook his head.

"Aaron," Dave said. "It won't kill you."

"No," was Hotch's strong response.

"Good," Dave smiled. "I get this beauty all to myself." He gave his lighter to Matt, as Hotch, with honors, teed off. Using an eight iron, his golf ball landed on the green, pin high about thirty feet away. He pulled his tee out of the ground and smiled.

Dave was next and also landed his ball on the green, albeit on the other side and outside of Hotch's. Mac teed up, took his swing, and sent the golf ball into the air. "Chain saw!" Matt said, as he puffed the cigar. Mac's shot clanked around in the trees and he glared at Matt.

"Bro, you sawed a few branches off." He handed Mac the cigar, smiled at him and teed up his ball. Mac took a pull on the fine cigar. Matt, using a nine iron, placed a perfect shot pin high, less than ten feet from the hole.

Hotch glared at him. "Whatttttt?" Matt questioned.

"Asshole." Dave and Mac laughed at them both. Hotch parred the hole. Matt carded a birdie, much to Hotch's chagrin. The rest of the round was more of the same, with the boys of the BAU just relaxing and having some laughs.

The four of them sat around the country club bar, enjoying a beer and as well as glass of ice water. True to Matt's word to Abbey, it was his second, along with the rest. Hotch had bought a round at the 14th hole. The four of them sat around in sandals and tennis shoes, having taken the golf carts to their vehicles to unload their clubs and change shoes before returning the carts.

Dave looked Matt in the eye. "I know I'm pressing buttons, again, but can that beautiful wife of yours do dinner on the fly again?"

Mac jumped in. "Dave, if you don't mind; Reed has been really wanting chicken on the grill."

Dave smiled. "My suggestion exactly Mac."

Hotch smiled shyly. "Beth has been hearing rumors about that from Jack."

Matt smiled at his partner, as he rubbed his hand across his shoulder, looking at Mac. "I think we can get that done." He pulled his cell out of his pocket.

Abbey answered on the second ring. "Hey babe; how was your day?"

She smiled. "Totally relaxing; Stella and I have had a great day with the kids. What's up?"

"Chicken on the grill; Dave, Hotch, Beth and Jack."

"If you pick up the chicken on the way home, and the two bags of potatoes, sour cream, and shredded cheese for two pans of cheesy potatoes, I'm in. I'll call Beth and see if she can throw together a quick salad."

Matt smiled, knowing the potato recipe, looked around at the group. "Done deal babe; any word from Reed?"

"Nope, but he's a big boy, so we're not worried."

Mac pulled Matt's cell from his hand. "Abbey, I know him. He can get heads down. You have his cell number, yes?"

"Actually Mac, no but I'm sure Stella does."

"Have Stell send him a text to tell him what time dinner is." Abbey had the phone on speaker.

"Got it Mac," Stella smiled.

As they finished their beers and walked out to their vehicles, Hotch's cell phone pinged. He read the text message. He looked at Matt. "It's from Beth. I'm supposed to stop at the grocery store with you and pick up what's need for a 'dough boy salad'. Beth says Abbey told her you know the recipe."

Matt winked at Dave. "Hook, line and sinker."

"Oh yeah," Dave smiled broadly.

"Whatever," Hotch said rolling his eyes. Mac joined the laugh with Matt and Dave. He looked at Hotch.

"You're toast." Matt and Dave laughed harder.

-00CM00-

The wonderful evening of the "Three Musketeers" and the people that loved them was exactly that. It was a special evening that was enjoyed by everyone. The next morning, Matt and Abbey were up early, getting the kids ready for eight o'clock church. Mac, Stella and Reed walked into the kitchen, dressed for church as well. Mac looked at Matt. "We're a family. And I've given you that sermonette before." Matt smiled at his brother, knowing the hell he would have gotten from their parents, had they lived long enough, to see him marry a Protestant girl, and join her church. The heartfelt gesture from his brother meant a lot to Matt, as always.

The eight of them filled the church pew, with Colin sitting on Stella's lap and being a "choir boy" for a change through the whole service. Aaron and Jack sat in the pew in front of them. The family returned home to enjoy brunch, with Abbey's egg bake waiting for them, and the three New Yorkers slowly started the process of getting packed up.

They had spent a wonderful week together and the good-byes were tough as always for Mac and Stella. They pulled each of the kids into a big hug and shared words. Casee, knowing how she could handle Uncle Dave, looked Mac deeply in the eye. "Uncle Mac, you promise me this year you and Stella will be here for Christmas." And like her father, she played her hole ace at precisely the right time. "Daddy needs his big brother around for Christmas."

Mac simply melted as Stella rubbed his shoulder, holding Colin, who piped up. "Yeah, Uncle Mac, it's not Christmas without you and Aunt Stella." Stella kissed his cheek.

Cam, with his arms around Reed's waist looked at him, "How 'bout you?"

"Cam, bud, I've got another family that loves me and I have to be there for Christmas." Cam frowned. Reed pulled his chin up and looked him in the eyes. "But New Year's sounds like a great time to be here." Cam beamed as Reed hugged him and the other two.

Abbey pulled Reed into a large hug and then looked him in the eye. "I hope you know that this also home. You're a one hour plane ride or a three hour train ride away. You are welcome here anytime."

Reed hugged her and whispered in her ear. "I know." He pulled out of the hug and smiled at her. Mac and Stella shared heartfelt hugs with Abbey.

Mac whispered in her ear, "Thank you. Keep him sane with that job he does. All of them." Abbey pulled out of the hug, smiled at him, and put a kiss on his cheek.

The three of them said their good-byes and they, along with Matt, headed to the garage. The rest of the family followed, including Wilma. Stella gave the kids one more kiss as Mac and Reed gave Wilma a good rub down and Matt loaded their luggage in the back. Wilma barked her appreciation, with her tail wagging as the four of them climbed into Matt's truck.

The kids and Abbey waved their good-byes, while Wilma barked hers as well. Stella brushed a tear away as Matt pulled down the street.

Matt walked into the Metro Station with the three of them until they got to the security checkpoint for the train to NYC. He clamped Reed on the shoulder. "Do I have to reiterate what my wife told you," he lovingly smiled.

"Nope, Uncle Matt, you don't." They shared a huge hug. Reed pulled out of the hug and looked Matt in eye. "And like you, I keep my promises. I'll be here again." Matt shook his hand.

Stella pulled Matt into an even larger huge. "Love you little brother." Matt held her for another couple of seconds, before looking her in the eye.

"Love you too, Stell. Take care of these guys."

Stella smiled at him. "You know I will."

Matt kissed her cheek again. "I count on that Greek Goddess." He gave her another kiss and looked at Mac, holding out his hand. "Damn bro, we're so close and yet so far away."

Mac pulled Matt into a tight hug. "But we're still brothers. And miles, no matter how few or how many, can't take that away." Matt hugged Mac deeper as Stella and Reed smiled at each other.

Matt pulled away to look Mac in the eye. "You got that letter from mom too?"

Mac smiled. "Yes, I did." The brothers shared another hug.

"See you for Christmas," Mac said, as he, Stella and Reed started to move to the security checkpoint. He pointed at Matt. "That was a helluva move with the guilt trip from Case." Matt smiled brightly. "And well played little brother."

Matt just smiled and waved at the three of them. "Take care you three. You're loved. And it doesn't have to wait until Christmas." Mac, Stella and Reed turned to wave at him and then moved into the security line. Matt waved back one more time and then moved to exit.

###

**A/N: For those of you that don't golf or don't even understand the game and you have questions, please feel free to PM me, rather than me droning on here.**

**Thanks Jedi Master. *bows* **


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

_Hey peeps! Reed Garrett here, back from vacation;, rested, relaxed and ready to rumble._

_But where do I start?_

_My week of vacation, with all due respect to my parents that adopted me and love me to this day, was the most amazing week I've had. I've already told them about it. And being the awesomely supportive parents that they are, they are happy campers. That's how special they are._

_Yet, what I got to witness and be a part of this week has simply blown me away. I had expectations walking in, which were quickly shot down. But I have to be honest with all of you; I got so much more._

_I spent the week with the man that married by birth mom. I love the man that raised me as his son, but I love this man as well. I call him "Dad" also. And he, and the angel he has in life, gave me an incredible week._

_See, my birth mom's husband, as those you that have followed from the get go know, is Mac Taylor. Dad is the head of the NYPD Crime Lab. Yeah, I call him dad now. What none of you know, up until now, is that my dad has a little brother. *laughs* Not so little. My dad battled a health problem early in his childhood. His brother, an Irishman like my dad, didn't have that problem._

_Anyway, my uncle, Matt Taylor is 6'2", and built like the proverbial Irishman; much to the consternation of my dad. He is also a Colonel in the US Marine Corp Reserve, and the recipient of the Medal of Honor for his actions with his Marine Company in the early hours of the original Gulf War. I slept in his den; seeing that Medal every night before I went to bed. He just shakes it off like it didn't happen. I looked at that Medal every night before I shut my eyes. I know differently._

_The most awesome part for me though, was learning so much more about my birth mother and hearing the special memories these two brothers share. I learned so many things, including life on an actual dairy farm._

_And it was so much more than that. Matt's beautiful wife, a federal prosecutor, is an amazing wife and mother and just a special lady that also knew my birth mom. She shared a very special memory. My birth mom was in she and Uncle Matt's wedding. Dad was Uncle Matt's best man. They were married in June, 2001. That's the last time they seen my mom._

_Their three children are cousins I've never had. And while our ages are quite different, they will hold a special place in my heart forever. I have a second family and I simply love them._

_We spent a wonderful time in the DC area. It was especially moving to see my dad and my uncle share their memory of their dad, who served in World War II the day we spent as a family seeing part of the Mall. And McKenna Taylor's service was brought home even more when we adults toured the Holocaust Museum. He was part of the US Army contingent that liberated the Buchenwald Death Camp._

_My week, however, was just not this family. It was another family; the agents that serve in the FBI's Behavioral Analysis Unit. For those of you that have not heard of the BAU, they are the specially trained agents that assist local law enforcement agencies across the nation and consultant to agencies around the world, in apprehending serial killers, terrorists, pedophiles, rapists and arsonists, as well as being one of the first teams called in on kidnapped children cases. Bottom line: on a daily basis, they deal with the worst of the worst. If they are not out in the field, away from their families, they are studying and analyzing in their office, offering consultations and providing education within the Bureau and beyond._

_Knowing my uncle was part of this team before I left, I hoped to give all of you a big scoop with an inside look at the BAU. I don't have that. I just got an inside look at the real part – the woman and men that make up this team and why they do the job they do. Why they put up with the nightmares._

_They do it for their kids and their families to keep them safe. Sometimes, that doesn't work out and their own family suffered a huge loss. Yet, they stand by each other, support each other, and at the end of the day, laugh and relax with each other. One of the three co-founders of the original BAU returned to the Unit and now serves as the Senior Profiler for the team. To me, he summed it up best. "I'm honored to work with them."_

_The term "brothers and sisters in arms" can be bandied about quite a bit. I got to see it in action. However, it wasn't in the field or watching this highly trained team working. It was seeing them relax and be together. They are a true family, in every sense of the word. And I'm honored to now be a part of that family._

-00CM00-

On Monday morning, as Garcia left Hotch's office, he rose from his desk, gathering the case files that Garcia had left. He walked out the door towards Dave's office and stuck his head in the open door. "We've got a case." Dave was heads down with his laptop.

"Be there in a sec. I'm just finishing reading Reed's blog." Hotch smiled and moved towards Matt's office. His door was also open, but Matt was on the phone and by the sounds of his side of the conversation, talking with their pilot Chuck.

Matt looked at Hotch after hung up. "He and Angie will be ready by the time we get done with the briefing and get gathered up to go." Hotch nodded.

"Where's the big dog?" Matt asked moving around his desk to join Hotch.

"He's reading Reed's blog." Hotch looked Matt in the eye as they moved out onto the walkway. "He really did right by us."

Dave, joining the two, added, "He sure did."

Matt smiled proudly. "So let's go get one for the kid and prove him right." The three of them smiled and moved to the Round Table Room.

###

**A/N: Thank you, thank you, thank you to all of you that left reviews, did a story alert, hit the favorite button, etc. As always, your support is simply overwhelming to me; and greatly appreciated.**

**To the gang at CM Rev, especially all of my Hotch sisters, thank you once again for being **_**so**_** supportive of me during the writing process. You are the best gang! XOXOXO's.**

**A shout out also goes to my Twitter sisters: the Dutch Delight and the Montreal Magician.**

**And to Thn0715: my Jedi Master and mentor. I wouldn't be doing this without you. You gave me the push to get on this writing road, and you've been there for me for every bit of the ride. I'm blessed to have you as a mentor. I'm more blessed to call you my friend. Please take the time to check out her stories as well. She's awesome!**


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